Carbon Emissions

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the target to reduce carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2010 was met.

Gregory Barker: The goal set by the previous Administration was for the UK to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. This related to emissions from the UK and our Crown Dependencies only, which represents a slightly different geographical coverage to both our current international (Kyoto Protocol) and domestic (carbon budgets) targets.
	We reported progress towards this goal in our annual National Statistics publications up to and including the February 2010 statistical release, which set out the results from our emissions inventory for 2008. This statistical release is still available on the DECC website at the following link:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/statistics/climate_change/1_20100202091108_e_@@_020210ghgnationalstatisticsrelease08f inalresults.pdf
	Since the 20% goal was a manifesto commitment set by the previous Administration, we no longer report progress against this under the current Administration. However, using the same basis as was used when we reported in February 2010, UK emissions of carbon dioxide in 2010 (net of removals from land use, land use change and forestry) were only 14.7% lower in 2010 than in 1990, significantly below the previous 20% target (down from 590.3 to 503.4 million tonnes). This includes an allowance for emissions trading and so is consistent with the approach used when reporting progress towards our existing targets.
	The introduction of carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act 2008 introduced a new domestic target for emissions reductions within the UK which effectively superseded the 2010 goal, and we have been reporting progress towards our carbon budgets since our February 2010 National Statistics publication. Carbon budgets cover emissions of all greenhouse gases, not just carbon dioxide, and have a geographical coverage which extends to just the UK, so not including our Crown Dependencies or Overseas Territories.
	On a carbon budgets basis, UK greenhouse gas emissions were 23.0% lower in 2010 than in the base year, down from 770.8 to 593.9 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent. The first carbon budget requires that total UK greenhouse gas emissions do not exceed 3,018 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over the five-year period 2008-12, which is approximately 22% below the base year level on average over the period.
	Further details can be found in the February 2012 National Statistics release which can be found on the DFCC website at the following link:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_stats/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/uk_emissions.aspx

Energy: Meters

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to publish the conclusions on the proposed framework for smart metering data access and privacy.

Charles Hendry: The Government is considering responses received to its recent consultation. Subject to responses received, and ongoing engagement with a range of stakeholders, the Government intends to publish a response to the consultation this autumn.

Environment Protection: Employment

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many jobs he estimates (a) the Green Deal, (b) the Renewable Heat Incentive, (c) feed-in-tariffs for micro-renewable and (d) the Green Investment Bank will generate.

Gregory Barker: The Government is committed to maximising the business and job opportunities that a move to a low carbon economy will create. In 2010-11 the UK low-carbon and environmental goods and services (LCEGS) sector employed an estimated 940,000 people (up 2.8% on the previous year)(1). While an estimate of the net impact of polices on jobs across the economy has not been made and is very uncertain, some estimates have been made for the number of (gross) jobs policies will create in particular sectors:
	(1)  Note:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/business-sectors/docs/l/12-p143-low-carbon-environmental-goods-and-services-2010-11.pdf
	(a) The estimated jobs impact for the Green Deal has been calculated alongside the Energy-Company Obligation (ECO). External estimates by lnnovas suggest that around 4.700 installers were employed in the insulation market in 2007-08, which covers loft and wall insulation, and another 22,000 were employed in the wider supply chain(2). Under Green Deal and ECO this total is expected to rise to between 39,000 to 60,000 (full-time equivalent) jobs by 2015 supported by installation of the main household insulation measures (solid wall, cavity wall, loft and floor)(3). There are other measures that will be taken up as a result of the Green Deal and ECO but these have not been quantified for their employment impacts.
	(2)  Note:
	Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services; an Industry Analysis; Innovas; 2009
	(3)  Note:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/green-deal/5533-final-stage-impact-assessment-for-the-green-deal-a.pdf
	(b) DECC has not made any estimate of jobs related to the roll out of renewable heat. A heating industry exists already in the UK, it is likely that some jobs in that will gradually be converted to provide renewable heating.
	(c) The Feed in Tariffs (FITs) scheme has already created business and job opportunities in green sectors of the economy. Estimates of the scale of the impact are very uncertain but DECC has published an estimate of the jobs associated with solar PV technologies supported under the FITs scheme(4)—there are currently no published estimates of the job impacts of non-Solar PV eligible technologies. Table 1 following gives the estimated range of new solar PV installations over the three year period starting 1 April 2012. with estimates of associated jobs.
	(4)  Note:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/renewable-energy/5391-impact-assessment-government-response-to-consulta.pdf
	
		
			 Table 1: Estimated full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs associated with solar PV for new installations projected between 2012-13 and 2014-15 (1) 
			  2012-13 2013- 14 2014 - 15 2012-14 
			 New solar PV installations between 2012-14 140,000 to 250,000 170,000 to 340,000 170,000 to 330,000 480,000 to 920,000 
			 FTE jobs for all installations between 2012-14 10,000 to 20,000 10,000 to 30,000 10,000 to 30,000 30,000 to 80,000 
			 (1) The lower range of installations is based on a low cost reduction assumption, and the higher range is based on a higher cost reduction assumption. The range of associated FTE jobs was estimated by apply a low estimate of FTE jobs per solar PV installation to the low estimate of installations. The high end of the range applies a high FTE jobs per installation estimate to the high uptake scenario. 
		
	
	(d) The creation of jobs is not one of the UKGIB's (Green Investment Bank) direct policy objectives, therefore no projections of job creation have been made. However, once fully operational, the Bank will be required to monitor the number of jobs its portfolio of investments generates, and report such data to the Government on a regular basis.

Environment Protection: South East

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to encourage green investment in the South East.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The Department for Business. Innovation and Skills (BIS) leads on UK Green Growth, and the Department of Energy and Climate Change work with BIS to encourage green investment.
	Government initiatives, such as the Regional Growth Fund (RGF). the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain (AMSC) fund and the work of UK Green Investment Bank plc, are able to encourage investment across sectors and regions, including green or low carbon sectors in the South East.
	The RGF supports projects and programmes that lever private sector investment creating economic growth and sustainable employment. It aims particularly to help those areas and communities currently dependent on the public sector to make the transition to sustainable private sector-led growth and prosperity.
	An additional £l billion has been allocated for a further round of the RGF; this takes the fund total to£2.4 billion.
	There have been several successful bids for the RGF in the South east and East of England, of which some include green projects.
	Furthermore the Government announced in March that up to £3.5 million would be made available to train up to 1,000 advisors and installers in readiness for the Green Deal. Funding will be allocated across Great Britain, including in the South East.

Green Deal Scheme

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to ensure that Green Deal assessors provide impartial advice.

Gregory Barker: It is important that the advice provided by Green Deal advisers is completely impartial, no matter how they are being employed. All advisers will be bound by the Green Deal code of practice, and standards in the specifications, which set out the expectations on all Green Deal advisers in terms of quality and impartiality of advice.
	Organisations providing a Green Deal advice service will have to ensure that all their contracted Green Deal advisers produce impartial assessments. In addition the adviser certification bodies will verify that the Green Deal advisers certified by them, either directly or via an employer, have acted with impartiality as part of their ongoing surveillance function.

Wind Power

Nigel Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the report by Renewable UK entitled Onshore wind: Direct and Wider Economic Impacts, what assessment he has made of the finding that 10.9 GW of additional wind capacity is required to meet the Government's target for onshore wind. [R]

Charles Hendry: The joint DECC/RenewableUK report by BiGGAR Economics(1) does not draw conclusions about how much onshore wind might be needed to contribute to the UK's renewable energy target. It sets out four potential deployment scenarios(2) for 2020 ranging between 10 GW and 19 GW, and considers the impact that each of these would have on UK jobs and investment.
	In last year's Renewables Roadmap, the Government set out a central scenario of up to 13 GW onshore wind deployment in our energy mix by 2020, to maintain our energy security, to help meet our 2020 renewable targets.
	(1) The findings of the report are based on 18 case studies of experience on the ground, and set out the gross impacts of commercial onshore wind development. A copy of the report is at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/wind/5229-onshore-wind-direct--wider-economic-impacts.pdf
	(2) The scenarios were taken from the 2010 National Renewable Energy Action Plan, see:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/what%20we%20do/uk%20energy%20supply/energy%20mix/renewable%20energy/ored/25-nat-ren-energy-action-plan.pdf
	and the 2011 UK Renewable Energy Roadmap, see:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/meeting-energy-demand/renewable-energy/2167-uk-renewable-energy-roadmap.pdf

Wind Power

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much he has paid in compensation for non-production to wind farms in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12.

Charles Hendry: The Government has made no payments to wind farms in compensation for non-production.
	In order to ensure the secure operation of the electricity system, National Grid takes over a thousand actions each day to balance electricity supply and demand, including paying generators of all types to alter their output. The vast majority of these payments are made to fossil fuel generators, rather than wind farms. National Grid has advised that details of all Balancing Mechanism payments are published at:
	www.elexon.co.uk
	and
	www.bmreports.com
	The Renewables Obligation (RO) is currently the Government's main financial incentive for large scale renewable electricity, including wind power. This requires supply companies to source a specified and annually increasing proportion of their electricity sales from eligible sources of renewable energy or pay a penalty. The RO is a generation based subsidy, meaning support is granted for each MWh of electricity actually generated. A wind farm will therefore only receive support when it generates.

Enterprise Zones

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had on the introduction of Enterprise Zones in Northern Ireland; what the geographical size and nature of such zones will be; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I have discussed enterprise zones with colleagues within Government and have urged the Northern Ireland Executive to consider the merits of establishing such zones. Enterprise zones are designed to promote growth and create jobs in designated areas, including by offering enhanced capital allowances to businesses in those enterprise zones which are in assisted areas.
	The Government has announced the creation of 24 enterprise zones in England. The Scottish Government has created four enterprise areas, and the Welsh Government have announced seven locations for their own enterprise zones, reflecting the priorities of those Administrations. The Northern Ireland Executive has not so far indicated that it intends to pursue an enterprise zone policy in Northern Ireland.

Omagh Support and Self-Help Group

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the recent report commissioned by the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I received the report from the Omagh Support and Self Help Group on 18 June 2012 and I am currently considering its contents.

Omagh Support and Self-Help Group

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Minister for Justice in Northern Ireland about the recent report commissioned by the Omagh Support and Self-Help Group by the Omagh families; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I have not yet discussed the contents of the report with the Justice Minister David Ford. When I received a copy of the report from the Omagh Support and Self Help Group they made clear their desire to present a copy of the report to David Ford in person and discuss its contents with him prior to my own discussion with him and I respect their wishes.

RTE

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent meetings he has had with his Irish counterpart to discuss the London bureau of Raidió Teilifís Éireann.

Owen Paterson: I have not been asked to participate in such a meeting. This is a matter for Radio Telefis Éireann.

Buildings

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales with reference to the answer of 6 February 2012, Official Report, column 40W, on departmental buildings, how much her Department spent on the Discovery House office in Cardiff Bay in each year since 2003.

David Jones: Although the Wales Office has leased space in Discovery House since March 2003, figures are only available from 2005-06 and are set out in the following table. Prior to this, the costs of the Cardiff office were not disaggregated.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Rent Rates Running costs 
			 2005-06 150,278 37,890 16,031 
			 2006-07 166,020 38,880 16,560 
			 2007-08 181,180 40,320 17,229 
			 2008-09 188,465 41,940 20,751 
			 2009-10 177.731 44,010 21.592 
			 2010-11 179,096 40,368 22,075 
			 2011-12 181,801 42,244 16,753 
		
	
	The rent paid includes service charges for utilities, security and waste disposal.

Third Sector

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2012, Official Report, column 533W, on Third Sector, what the times, dates and attendees were of meetings that her Department has held on achieving that objective; if she will estimate the cost to the public purse of holding such meetings; what the outcomes of the meetings were; and if she will publish the agenda and attendees of the meeting of the Wales Office Big Society Advisory Forum on 12 July 2012.

David Jones: The big society has been raised with me on various occasions by a number of bodies and individuals but meetings on that specific topic have been held with:
	
		
			 Date Organisations 
			 2011  
			 1 November Wales Council for Voluntary Action 
			 7 November Charity Bank 
			   
			 2012  
			 16 January Rhondda Life, the Wales Council for Voluntary Action, Charity Bank, Chwarae Teg, the Community Foundation in Wales, Jobcentre Plus, The Princes Trust, Newport City Homes, CREST Co-operative, Business in the Community, the Church in Wales, and the Reserve Forces and Cadet Association Wales. 
			 31 January ABCD Cymru 
			 7 February Social Business Trust 
			 30 April Cardiff Metropolitan University 
			 1 May Urdd 
		
	
	Such meetings fall within the usual duties of a Government Minister and are cost neutral to the public purse. The meetings were very helpful in informing the Government's vision of how the big society might be adopted in Wales and bringing together a network committed to embedding the principles underpinning that vision.
	With regards to the Wales Office Big Society Forum on 12 July, a communiqué will be issued following the meeting.

Chambers of Commerce

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the British Chambers of Commerce on doubling exports by 2020.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and UK Trade and Investment regularly meet with individual businesses and business organisations to discuss a wide range of topics including our ambition to double UK exports by 2020 as well as the support we can provide to UK exporters. FCO officials most recently met with the British Chamber of Commerce on 9 July 2012.

Egypt

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the new government of Egypt.

Alistair Burt: The Prime Minister wrote to President Mursi on 24 June to congratulate him on his election success. He also stressed the need for a credible, free and fair process towards civilian rule.
	Throughout the transition we have been in regular contact with the political forces in Egypt including members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
	We understand that consultations are under way to select members of the new Government, but we continue to plan ongoing contact with the Egyptian authorities.

Egypt

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of prospects for the protection of women's rights in Egypt.

Alistair Burt: I visited Cairo between 11 and 13 March 2012. In my meetings with the Egyptian Foreign Minister and contacts with political parties I emphasised that women's participation is a key part of supporting effective transitions and building stability.
	We were concerned by reports of assault and intimidation of women protesters, who were demanding an end to sexual harassment, as they demonstrated in Tahrir Square on 8 June 2012. We believe that women must be free to exercise their rights of freedom of expression and assembly in full equality.
	We continue to urge the Egyptian authorities to establish the conditions for inclusive politics, and for the rights of women and minorities to be enshrined in the new constitution and in law.

Egypt

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of prospects for (a) democratic progress and (b) political stability in Egypt.

Alistair Burt: We welcome the peaceful conduct of the presidential elections and handover of power to President Mursi in Egypt. The next steps of the transition will be critical in moving towards full democratic governance. It is important that all political forces are allowed to participate freely and legitimately in the political process, and that the new president and government are bestowed full authority.
	The UK remains fully committed to supporting Egypt on its path to democracy, and to promoting our common interests on security, stability and prosperity.

Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on immigration to the UK.

Jeremy Browne: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) has regular discussions with his Cabinet colleagues on the full range of immigration issues, including UK visa policy and illegal migration.

Indonesia

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding and assistance his Department provided to the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation in the last year for which figures are available.

Jeremy Browne: In financial year 2011-12, the UK's Counter Terrorism Programme provided in the region of £400,000 to support the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation to deliver a package of six different classroom-based training programmes. The training programmes share with the Indonesian National Police the UK experience in managing counter-terrorism investigations, preventing terrorist attacks; and tracking down and prosecuting those who are responsible in a wat that is compliant with international human rights law. We also deliver a regional course, bringing together senior law enforcement officers from around South East Asia to focus on the co-ordination and management of multi-jurisdictional investigations aimed at disrupting terrorism and transnational crime.

Israel

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made any representations to the government of Israel on the confiscation of UK-funded tents for villagers of Khirbet ar-Rahawa displaced by house demolitions.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of recent incidents where humanitarian goods, including those funded by the UN Humanitarian Response Fund (which the UK contributes to) have been confiscated by the Israeli authorities. This is unacceptable.
	The UK is working closely with the UN, humanitarian agencies and other donors in Jerusalem on this. We are collectively lobbing the Israeli authorities for release of the confiscated goods.

Israel: Palestinians

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Palestinian Authority on rejoining direct peace talks with Israel without preconditions.

Alistair Burt: We and our EU partners have welcomed the recent efforts by the Palestinian and Israeli leadership to renew direct contacts. We have urged both sides to focus on dialogue, to avoid steps that could undermine the prospects for peace and to work towards the resumption of direct negotiations without pre-conditions. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), conveyed this message when he met President Abbas on 6 July 2012.

Middle East

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the President of the Palestinian Authority on (a) accepting the Quartet Statement and (b) returning to direct peace negotiations.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), met President Abbas on 6 July. He urged President Abbas to return to direct peace negotiations in line with the Quartet statements of September 2011 and April 2012. We continue to encourage both sides to show flexibility and restart negotiations as the best way to achieve a lasting solution to the middle east peace process.

Middle East

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the recent terror attack on the Israel-Egypt border.

Alistair Burt: The British Government remains concerned about the security situation in the Sinai, which we continue to raise with the Egyptian authorities. On 18 June several terrorists crossed into southern Israel from the Sinai. They reportedly set off an explosion and opened fire with a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms at Israeli construction workers building the border fence. One construction worker was killed, and another injured. We condemn all acts of terrorism.

Middle East

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of where responsibility for recent rocket fire into Israel lies.

Alistair Burt: It is our assessment that recent rocket fire has been from a number of militant Palestinian groups. On 20 June the Al-Qassam Brigade, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for firing rockets for the first time in over a year. They said that the attacks were in response to the death of one of their members in an Israeli air strike. We have condemned indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza into Southern Israel and urged all sides to exercise restraint and prevent civilian casualties and loss of life. We believe it is in no one's interest to see further violence in Gaza.

Middle East

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Palestinian Authority's commitment to end incitement against Israel in accordance with the Quartet Principles.

Alistair Burt: The British Government opposes the advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence in all circumstances. In response to allegations of anti-Israeli incitement on Palestinian state television, officials from the British Consulate General in Jerusalem have raised concerns with the Head of the News Department at Palestine TV who stressed that they have strict instructions from the highest Palestinian authorities to prevent the broadcasting of any material that promotes incitement or hatred. We are not aware of any other credible recent evidence of anti-Israeli incitement by the Palestinian Authority.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, what progress his Department has made on identifying a proportion of its resource budget which can be re-prioritised; what steps he has taken to identify such funds; and which parts of his Department's resource budget he has identified as suitable for re-prioritisation;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his Department's agencies and the non-departmental bodies for which he is responsible on the contribution they will make to identifying resource budget for possible re-prioritisation;
	(3)  when he will make public the areas of his Department's resource budget he has identified for possible re-prioritisation; and when he plans to report to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on the outcome of this exercise.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is determined to deliver the best possible service to the UK taxpayer at the lowest possible cost, while contributing to the Government's goal of reducing the budget deficit. We are committed to improving financial management across the FCO and to meeting all of our obligations in respect of the recent announcement by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on improving spending control across the public sector. One of these commitments is to identify around 5% of our departmental expenditure limit that could be reprioritised within year to fund unforeseen pressures on our budget, and to share these plans with the Treasury. We are working with the Treasury on this in accordance with ‘Improving Spending Control’:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Our contingency plans will not be published and will be reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

Sargasso Sea

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the establishment of a marine protected area in the Sargasso (High) Sea.

Henry Bellingham: Members of the Sargasso Sea Alliance have met officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Transport (DFT) to discuss the scientific case, and the appropriate international forum under which measures to conserve the area, which lies in an Area Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ), could be taken. As a result of this meeting officials of the DFT and its Maritime and Coastguard Agency are engaged in discussions with the Sargasso Sea Alliance with a view to identifying a measure or measures which it would be appropriate to take forward in the International Maritime Organisation. In addition, the Government supports the work of the OSPAR Commission, under which seven Marine Protected Areas in ABNJ have been identified, in assisting the Alliance with its proposals. The Government of Bermuda supports the proposal to provide appropriate protection for the Sargasso Sea. The British Government, the Sargasso Sea Alliance and the Government of Bermuda are working together to this end through the appropriate forums.
	The British Government recognises that the current system for the identification of Marine Protected Areas in ABNJ is piecemeal and can lack global legitimacy. We continue to press, in line with its commitment in the Natural Environment White Paper, for a new Implementing Agreement consistent with the UN Law of the Sea to address these concerns.

Syria

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of his recent discussions with the Syria Action Group.

Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 4 July 2012, Official Report, columns 56-7WS.

Alcoholic Drinks: Females

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Government's alcohol strategy in relation to the behaviour of (a) young and (b) middle-aged women.

James Brokenshire: The Government's alcohol strategy, published on 23 March, sets out a wide range of actions to tackle the harms caused by excessive alcohol consumption. The Government will produce an impact assessment and consult on a range of measures in the alcohol strategy in the forthcoming months.

Aviation: Security

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what technology she plans to use to replace Iris scanners at UK airports.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is currently assessing the next generation of automated clearance gates, ensuring that the design will accommodate the greatest number of passengers and improve reliability. The Border Automation Strategy will be produced in October 2012. This includes examining ways of extending availability to non-EU/EEA passengers.

Aviation: Security

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what timetable she has set for the removal of Iris scanners at UK airports.

Damian Green: IRIS barriers have already been closed and barriers removed at Gatwick South (March 2011), Birmingham (March 2012) and Manchester (April 2012) airports.
	Arrangements have been made to keep IRIS at Heathrow and Gatwick North airports open for registered passengers until after both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. There is no formal date arranged as yet to remove the barriers at these ports.

British Nationals Abroad: Homicide

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has received any information from the Serious Organised Crime Agency on when it will sign the Memorandum of Understanding for support services for families of UK nationals murdered overseas; and when she expects the Memorandum of Understanding to come into effect.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 9 July 2012
	"Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide of British Nationals Abroad" is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Coroner's Society of England and Wales.
	The Serious Organised Crime Agency is not a signatory to the MOU.
	The Memorandum took immediate effect on 21 June 2012 and a communications plan is being put in place to ensure an effective launch by all parties.

Caste Discrimination

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to introduce regulations 
	(1)  on discrimination by caste and descent under her powers under the Equality Act 2010;
	(2)  under the Equality Act 2010 to prohibit caste discrimination.

Lynne Featherstone: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 593W.

Caste Discrimination

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish all the advice she has received on the implementation of the NIESR Report on caste discrimination in the UK.

Lynne Featherstone: The National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) report was published in December 2010. Consideration of this issue is continuing. There are no current plans to publish any advice that Ministers have received on the implementation of the NIESR report.

Credit Cards: Fraud

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to tackle credit card fraud.

James Brokenshire: Figures published by the banking and card payments industry show that in 2011 card fraud on UK issued debit and credit cards fell by 7% to £341 million. Levels have fallen for the third year in a row and the 2011 figure is the lowest level of loss since 2000.
	The Government works closely with enforcement and industry bodies on fraud issues and is determined to improve the response to all economic crime through the development of the National Crime Agency, and within that the Economic Crime Command. We are engaging with both the payments industry and law enforcement agencies on the development of the Economic Crime Command. The Economic Crime Command will co-ordinate and direct effective action to tackle serious and organised economic crime, and will support better use of resources across all national economic crime fighting agencies. It will also drive development of a stronger intelligence picture to better tackle and prevent economic crime.

Entry Clearances

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for family visitor visas there were in each year from 1997 to 2011; how many of those were granted; how many times appeals were made against refusal of such applications; how many of those appeals were upheld in each such year; and what her most recent estimate is of the average cost to her Department of such an appeal in the latest period for which figures are available.

Damian Green: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The information requested for each calendar year since 2004 is shown in the following table. The information is not available for previous years, as this data was not recorded centrally for all of the visa sections prior to 2004, and to collate it would incur disproportionate costs.
	
		
			 Family visit visas 
			  Applications received (1) Visas issued (1) Appeals received (2) Appeals decided (2) Appeals allowed (2, 3) 
			 2004 354,029 247,987 28,803 22,707 10,889 
			 2005 456,985 330,638 55,813 25,556 10,733 
			 2006 501,565 375,940 47,672 65,507 24,349 
			 2007 473,470 354,061 61,028 57,608 20,297 
			 2008 414,656 313,377 65,283 59,881 23,180 
			 2009 426,789 332,781 63,449 64,860 26,312 
			 2010 423,042 350,311 51,702 64,237 25,630 
			 2011 443,948 370,105 44,809 50,137 16,783 
			 (1 )This data is based on internal UKBA Management Information. It is provisional and subject to change. (2) This is data provided/published by HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Appeals received is a discrete data set and not restricted to appeals arising from refusals in each year. (3) This is the number of appeals decided in each year that were allowed.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-EU students had their leave to remain curtailed because of a breach of their visa conditions in 2011.

Damian Green: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The UK Border Agency does not keep records of those students whose leave under Tier 4 of the Points-based System was curtailed specifically on the grounds that they had breached their conditions of stay.
	Up to 30 June 2012, the UK Border Agency had curtailed the leave of over 29,000 students who had leave to remain under Tier 4 of the Points-based System. This figure includes all curtailments under Tier 4 and is not limited to those students who had leave curtailed due to a breach of visa conditions.
	The figure provided above has been derived from local management information and has not been subject to national statistical protocols.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-EU students were found to be in breach of their visa conditions in 2011.

Damian Green: holding answer 2 July 2012
	The UK Border Agency does not keep records of those students whose leave under Tier 4 of the Points-based System was curtailed specifically on the grounds that they had breached their conditions of stay.
	Up to 30 June 2012, the UK Border Agency had curtailed the leave of over 29,000 students who had leave to remain under Tier 4 of the Points-based System. This figure includes all curtailments under Tier 4 and is not limited to those students who had leave curtailed due to a breach of visa conditions.
	The figure provided above has been derived from local management information and has not been subject to national statistical protocols.

Extradition Review

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government plans to announce its response to Lord Justice Scott Baker's review of extradition arrangements.

Damian Green: The UK-US extradition treaty was only one area considered by the independent review of the UK's extradition arrangements chaired by Sir Scott Baker. The report was published on 18 October 2011. The Government is currently considering how to respond to what is a very detailed and complex review of nearly 500 pages and will report its conclusions to Parliament when this has been completed.

Lost Working Days

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of working days lost was per person in (a) her Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: Table 1 shows the average working days lost per staff year to sickness absence in the Home Office and its agencies in the financial years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.
	
		
			 Table 1: Average working days lost (per staff year), 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 (1) 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Home Office Total 8.80 7.83 7.88 
			 Home Office Headquarters 5.57 5.39 (3)7.00 
			 United Kingdom Border Agency 9.16 (2)8.00 8.49 
			 Criminal Records Bureau 11.14 11.55 11.13 
		
	
	
		
			 Identity and Passport Service 9.25 8.03 8.08 
			 National Fraud Authority — — (4)2.5 
			 (1) Permanent Secretaries Management Group Cabinet Office returns for 31 March 2010, 2011, 2012. (2) Workforce changes in 2010-11: 4,603 (full-time equivalent) (FTE)) HM Revenue and Customs detection staff joined United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) on 1 April 2010 in a machinery of government change. (3) Workforce changes in 2011-12: 88 (FTE) Government Equalities Office employees transferred to Home Office Headquarters on 1 April 2011 in a machinery of government change. 7,466 (FTE) Border Force staff moved from UKBA to Home Office Headquarters on 1 March 2012 in an internal restructure. (4) Workforce changes in 2011-12: 42 (FTE) National Fraud Authority (NFA) employees transferred to the Home Office on 1 April 2011, when NFA became an Executive agency of the Department in a machinery of government change. Extract date: 1 April of each year (figures based on period from 1 April to 31 March in each year). Methodology: Reported figures comply with Cabinet Office cross-government reporting standards (using “per-staff year”, not “per-person” data), and are rolling year figures, including all paid civil servants (current employees and those who left during the financial year).

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, what progress her Department has made on identifying a proportion of its resource budget which can be re-prioritised; what steps she has taken to identify such funds; and which parts of her Department's resource budget she has identified as suitable for re-prioritisation.

Damian Green: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in ‘Improving Spending Control’ at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for reprioritisation will not be published. They will be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, what discussions she has had with her Department's agencies and the non-departmental bodies for which she is responsible on the contribution they will make to identifying resource budget for possible re-prioritisation.

Damian Green: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in ‘Improving Spending Control’ at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for reprioritisation will not be published. They will be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, when she will make public the areas of her Department's resource budget she has identified for possible re-prioritisation; and when she plans to report to the Home Affairs Select Committee on the outcome of this exercise.

Damian Green: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in ‘Improving Spending Control’ at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for reprioritisation will not be published. They will be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

Vetting: British Nationals Abroad

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will give (a) international schools, (b) orphanages and (c) other such organisations based abroad the ability to access UK criminal records checking procedures to ensure that British sex offenders who apply for work with them cannot gain access to children.

Lynne Featherstone: Any British resident is able to obtain their own basic certificate by applying to either Disclosure Scotland or Access Northern Ireland. Such certificates will provide individuals' unspent convictions, including conditional cautions. For organisations that are based outside the United Kingdom but have sponsor schools, associate schools or UK offices (such as Save the Children and UNICEF) which are able to ask the question relating to convictions in the UK and show that eligibility exists under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA) (Exceptions) Order 1975, applications may be made to the criminal records Bureau (CRB) for standard or enhanced certificates.
	In Phase 2 of her review of the criminal record regime in England and Wales (“A Common Sense Approach”), Mrs Sunita Mason, the Independent Advisor for Criminality Information Management, made a recommendation that would allow
	“British residents to obtain a standard CRB certificate when applying for a post abroad that would be excepted from the ROA if it was in the UK, and providing for a check of the barred list to be made where it would have amounted to regulated activity”.
	We have asked Mrs Mason to consider this issue further and provide us with more detailed advice before we decide how to respond to this recommendation.

Victim Support Schemes

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget she plans to allocate to police and crime commissioners in each area to cover the costs of commissioning support services for victims.

Crispin Blunt: On 2 July 2012 the Government announced in its response to the consultation “Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses” that by 2015, Police and Crime Commissioners will be responsible for commissioning the bulk of victims' services. There is more work to be done before we can say how much will be allocated to each area.

Homosexuality: Marriage

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what assurances she has given to faith groups and religious organisations that there is no risk of successful legal challenge for refusing to conduct a same-sex religious marriage.

Lynne Featherstone: The consultation on enabling same-sex couples to have a civil marriage ceremony closed on 14 June 2012.
	We recognise the vital role religious organisations have in our society and the role that religious organisations have in marriage. No faith group or religious organisation will be forced to hold marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples as a result of our proposals.
	As part of the consultation, both Ministers and officials engaged with a variety of organisations to understand their views, and these will be reflected in the Government response which will be published by the end of the year

BBC

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ascertain how much money the BBC has spent on (a) personal development and (b) anger management courses for staff from 2008 to date; and what the title and content of each such course was.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), will not be seeking this information from the BBC. This is a matter for the BBC and my hon. Friend may wish to consider writing direct to the BBC to seek the information he requires. Under the terms of the BBC Charter, the BBC is independent of Government and there is no provision for Government to intervene in the BBC's day-to-day editorial and operational matters.
	The BBC Trust has a duty to ensure the BBC achieves the highest standards of value-for-money for its licence fee funding.

BBC: Pay

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the BBC Trust on reducing the salary of the Director General of BBC.

Edward Vaizey: I have had no discussions. The appointment of the Director-General is a matter for the BBC Trust and Government would not seek to intervene.
	The BBC Trust has a duty to achieve the highest standards of value for money for its licence fee funding.

Lost Working Days

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the average number of working days lost per person was in his Department in each of the last three years.

John Penrose: The average number of working days lost per person through paid and unpaid absence in each of the last three years, can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  Average Number of Days Lost 
			 2009-10 6.1 
			 2010-11 5.2 
			 2011-12 6

Olympic Games 2012

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many official Olympic and Paralympic pre-camp training agreements have been made in Scotland; and how the host areas will benefit from such agreements.

Hugh Robertson: Four pre games training camp (PGTC) agreements have been confirmed. Scotland will be welcoming teams from Zambia (Glasgow), Cameroon (Aberdeen), the US Virgin Isles (Stirling) and Cuba (Glasgow) as they prepare for the Olympics and, in the case of the Cubans, the Paralympic games.
	PGTCs will provide an opportunity to promote local areas creating economic benefits, including inward investment, through the international attention that will follow. In addition, local communities will benefit from establishing or strengthening cultural links with the countries whose athletes are training nearby, including through organising events during “Host a Nation Week” (16 to 22 July 2012).

Olympic Games 2012

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many Scottish businesses have won contracts to provide products or services for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics; and what the total value is of those contracts.

Hugh Robertson: The Olympic Delivery Authority publishes regular updates on the London 2012 Olympic games. Their latest figures show that over £33 million worth of contracts have been awarded to 30 businesses in Scotland. These figures include Barr Construction in Paisley and Euro Pools in Glasgow. This is in addition to a vast number of business opportunities within the supply chain.

Television: Licensing

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 5 March 2012, Official Report, column 496W, on television: licensing, if he will make it his policy that his Department should oversee the BBC's arrangements for collecting the licence fee in regards to (a) the number of employees of TV Licensing, (b) the cost of employing such workers (i) at TV Licence centres and (ii) in total and (iii) the location and number of TV Licence centres.

Edward Vaizey: The Government has no intention of overseeing the BBC's arrangements. Under the terms of the BBC Charter, the BBC Trust is responsible for ensuring that the arrangements for the collection of the licence fee are efficient, appropriate and proportionate. The BBC is independent of Government and there is no provision for Government to intervene.

Tourism

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the value was to the (a) UK and (b) Scottish economy of revenues generated by visitors from Japan holding tourist visas during the (i) period May 1997 to May 2010 and (ii) latest period for which figures are available.

John Penrose: The Department does not record this information. However, VisitBritain advise that the International Passenger Survey, conducted by the Office for National Statistics, provides the following data about the value to the UK economy of Japanese tourists. Due to the way in which statistics are recorded we are unable to provide the information in the exact format requested.
	(a) (i) From 1997 to 2010 (year from January) total spend by Japanese holiday visitors was £1,663 million,
	(ii) In 2011, total spend by Japanese holiday visitors was £86 million.
	(b) (i) Data from 1997 to 2002 are not available. From 2002 to 2010 total spend by Japanese holiday visitors in Scotland was £61 million,
	(ii) In 2011, total spend by Japanese holiday visitors in Scotland was £7 million.
	We have defined Japanese tourists as Japanese residents visiting the UK on holiday. This does not include Japanese residents visiting friends/relatives, on business or studying.

Tourism

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of jobs within the (a) UK and (b) Scottish visitor economy which were supported by revenue generated by Japanese tourist visas in the latest period for which figures are available.

John Penrose: VisitBritain estimate that the revenue generated by Japanese holiday visitors in 2011 supported 2,150 jobs throughout the UK, of which 175 were in Scotland.
	We have defined Japanese tourists as Japanese residents visiting the UK on holiday. This does not include Japanese residents visiting friends/relatives, on business or studying.

Work Experience

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many interns work in his Department's press office.

John Penrose: No interns work in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Press Office.

Bank Services

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) representations he has received from and (b) discussions he has had with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance in the Scottish Government on the IT systems failure in (i) Royal Bank of Scotland, (ii) NatWest and (iii) Ulster Bank.

Mark Hoban: The Chancellor of the Exchequer and I have spoken to a variety of people about the IT systems failure in (i) Royal Bank of Scotland, (ii) NatWest and (iii) Ulster Bank. The Royal Bank of Scotland have committed to carry out a full and detailed investigation into the causes of the problem, overseen by independent experts, and to publish the findings.

Bank Services

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people in Scotland who have been affected by the recent bank system errors in (i) Royal Bank of Scotland, (ii) NatWest and (iii) Ulster Bank.

Mark Hoban: The Government has no estimate how many people in Scotland have been affected by the recent bank system errors in (i) Royal Bank of Scotland, (ii) NatWest and (iii) Ulster Bank. The Royal Bank of Scotland have committed to carry out a full and detailed investigation into the causes of the problem, overseen by independent experts, and to publish the findings.
	It is a condition of a bank's license that it has adequate internal control mechanisms, and effective procedures to identify, manage and report on any risks to which it might be exposed.
	The application of the rules is a matter for the regulator, the Financial Services Authority. The regulator has set out specific requirements in its handbook for regulated firms relating to internal systems and controls. The handbook has statutory force.

Child Care Tax Credit

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the cost to the Exchequer of (a) fraud and (b) error relating to the childcare element of the working tax credit in the most recent year for which figures are available; what steps his Department is taking to address such fraud; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The amount of error and fraud relating to the childcare element of working tax credits is found in table 9 of HMRC's publication “Child and Working Tax Credits Error and Fraud Statistics” available here:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtcredits-error1011.pdf
	In 2010-11, the estimated amount of error and fraud favouring the claimant in misreporting childcare costs was £265 million.
	Of this, approximately £5 million was fraud, and £260 million error. The personal tax credits error and fraud strategy was introduced in April 2009, based on the principle of “Check first, Then Pay”. In 2011-12 156,000 cases were reviewed as part of HMRC's prevent, maintain and cleanse activity.
	Estimates published on 20 June 2012 indicate that HMRC has reduced the personal tax credits childcare risk from £390 million in 2008-09 to £265 million in 2010-11.

Experian

Jessica Morden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit recipients (a) are appealing and (b) have (i) successfully and (ii) unsuccessfully appealed decisions which were made based on data supplied by Experian since this system was introduced.

David Gauke: holding answer 19 June 2012
	Since HMRC has made use of Experian, the Tax Credit Office has looked at 24,299 awards and received 2,013 appeals against decisions which were made using this additional data.
	Of those appeals, 248 decisions have been made to date of which:
	80 were revisions in favour of the appellant:
	83 were not changed; and
	85 have been passed to the first tier tribunal.

Financial Services Authority

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider (a) publishing, (b) requiring the Financial Services Authority to publish and (c) requiring the successor bodies to the Financial Services Authority to publish details of meetings with external stakeholders within one working day of the meeting having taken place.

Mark Hoban: Details of meetings that Ministers have with external stakeholders are published on a quarterly basis on the Treasury's website under the Government's transparency agenda.
	The Government has no plans to require the Financial Services Authority and its successor bodies to publish details of meetings with external stakeholders within one working day. There are sound public policy reasons for this: those who provide information to a regulator must be able to feel confident that the confidentiality of the information will be respected. Requiring the regulators to make details of all stakeholder meetings public may mean stakeholders become less willing to come forward with information.

Infrastructure

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward the timing of public low carbon infrastructure investment in order to encourage economic growth.

Chloe Smith: The Government is already investing in infrastructure, providing £2.4 billion for the regional growth fund, £770 million for the Growing Places fund and £570 million for the Get Britain Building fund. It has provided £3 billion allocated for the Green Investment Bank, and allocated £200 million at the 2011 autumn statement to provide incentives for early take-up of the Green Deal.

National Infrastructure Plan

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the projects identified in the National Infrastructure Plan had commenced by 1 July 2012.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 9 July 2012
	The National Infrastructure Plan 2011 identified a substantial pipeline of planned investment in UK infrastructure including over 500 projects and programmes worth in excess of £250 billion. Almost two-thirds of the expected investment to 2015 will be privately funded so this is quite rightly not a centrally managed process.
	The Government is ensuring that all Departments play their part in tackling delays and addressing key commercial and policy issues associated with the priority infrastructure investments identified in the National Infrastructure Plan. I chair a Cabinet Sub-Committee on infrastructure to provide a focus to this work.
	An update on the progress made on these infrastructure investments was published alongside this year's Budget and the Treasury will be publishing a further progress update around the time of the autumn statement.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, when he will make public the areas of his Department's resource budget he has identified for possible re-prioritisation; and when he plans to report to the Education Select Committee on the outcome of this exercise.

Chloe Smith: The department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in “Improving Spending Control”:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for reprioritisation will not be published. They should be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an on-going basis.

VAT

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy not to increase the five per cent VAT rate for insulation, solar panels and other energy saving and renewable energy technologies installed on domestic properties; what recent discussions he has had with (a) the European Commission on energy saving goods and Annex III of the VAT Directive and (b) the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the effect of an increased VAT rate on energy saving materials for the success of the Green Deal policy; and if he will make a statement. [R]

David Gauke: The UK believes that the reduced rate on energy saving materials is allowed under the principal VAT directive. The European Commission has however launched infraction proceedings against the reduced rate. We will study the Commission's arguments carefully, and respond in due course.
	I have had no recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), about this matter.

Driving Under Influence: Drugs

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration the Expert Panel on Drug Driving plans to give to the position of people taking stable doses of legitimately prescribed opioid based medicines for long term pain relief in the event that the detection device shows a positive test; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: The expert panel is considering opioids as a family of controlled drugs, because some of the scientific issues are common to this family of drugs, which includes both heroin and medicinally used drugs. The Government's prime policy deliberation in considering opioids is to reduce the risk to public safety on the roads posed by drivers who have taken illicit substances such as heroin.
	However, medically supplied opioids may be proposed for inclusion in the new offence if they pose a major road safety problem. Alternatively, it may be that the evidence indicates that it would be more appropriate to continue to rely on the driving impairment offence.

Fishing Vessels: Radio

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the proportion of fishing vessels and small crafts in each constituent part of the UK using digital select calling.

Michael Penning: My Department has not made any estimate of digital selective calling (DSC) usage by fishing vessels and small craft because the move to emergency alerting arrangements using DSC is required under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
	It is the personal responsibility of all those that go to sea to ensure that they have the appropriate communications facilities available to contact Her Majesty's Coastguard in the event of an emergency, taking account of where they are.
	There are around 5,600 UK vessels licensed for fishing, of which 680 are over 15 metres in overall length and therefore required to carry DSC radio. The others are required to carry a fixed (DSC) VHF radio or handheld. When operating over 30 miles from land, the carriage of additional DSC equipment is strongly recommended.

Fishing Vessels: Radio

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) independent and (b) internal assessments of risk her Department has commissioned on the ban on using 2182 kHz as the medium frequency distress, alerting and calling frequency.

Michael Penning: My Department has not carried out any independent or internal assessment of risks because the move to emergency alerting arrangements using digital select calling (DSC) is required under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
	The United Kingdom adopted the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) in 1999. At this time 2182 kHz ceased to be the medium for the initial transmission of Distress Urgency and Safety (DUS) alerts, although ships and shore stations were obliged to continue a listening watch on 2182 kHz until 1 January 2002. There is no ban on the use of radio telephony on 2182 kHz when used for communications subsequent to the initial DUS alert using the DSC system on 2187.5 kHz.

Fishing Vessels: Radio

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) independent and (b) internal assessments of risk her Department has commissioned on the ability of small craft and fishing vessel fleets in each constituent part of the UK to exclusively use the digital select calling system for emergency calls rather than using the 2182 kHz frequency.

Michael Penning: My Department has not carried out any independent or internal assessment of risks because the move to emergency alerting arrangements using digital select calling (DSC) is required under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
	With the introduction of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) in 1999, 2182 kHz ceased to be the medium for the initial transmission of Distress Urgency and Safety (DUS) alerts. To allow the fishing industry to acquire the appropriate equipment Her Majesty's Coastguard advised mariners that Maritime and Rescue Co-ordination Centres would continue to provide a 2182 kHz loud speaker listening watch until 31 May 2002.
	With the introduction of updated radio technology by Her Majesty's Coastguard's ability to maintain a listening watch on 2182 kHz was finally removed in December 2011. It is the personal responsibility of all those that go to sea to ensure that they have the appropriate communications facilities available to contact Her Majesty's Coastguard in the event of an emergency, taking account of where they are.

Fishing Vessels: Radio

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much (a) her Department and (b) HM Coastguard has spent on updating medium frequency radio equipment.

Michael Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has spent £1.46 million on updating medium frequency radio equipment.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what date she anticipates that all the recommendations in the Major Project Authority's report into High Speed Rail 2 will be delivered; and if she will make a statement.

Justine Greening: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The recommendations provided by the MPA in their review of November 2011 have either been met or are on track to be met by the time the hybrid Bill is deposited.

Roads: Safety

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road safety management teams have been (a) disbanded and (b) reduced in staff numbers in the last two years.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport does not collect information about the numbers and sizes of local authorities' road safety management teams. Local authorities have statutory duties related to road safety, but the decisions about how many staff are necessary and whether staff are employed directly or not are for local authorities.
	The Government recognises that local communities have a central role in making roads as safe as they can be. It is has therefore changed the way its funding support is provided to give local authorities more freedom to assess and act on their own priorities. It has also provided a new local sustainable transport fund and from April 2013 there will be more funding associated with the transfer of responsibilities for public health to local authorities.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason her Department moved the commitment to complete the commercial arrangements for the delivery of the Intercity Express Programme from being an action in the main Structural Reform Plan in its May 2011 Business Plan to being an Additional departmental action in Annex B of its May 2012 Business Plan.

Theresa Villiers: In line with Cabinet Office guidance the main Structural Reform Plan is now more strongly focussed on the actions we will undertake to implement our major structural reforms. In light of that guidance, we have consolidated some initiatives into higher level actions, retaining the lower level milestones in the annexes.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date she expects all the rolling stock and infrastructure for the Intercity Express Programme on the East Coast Mainline to have been delivered; and for what reason the May 2012 update to her Department's Business Plan removed the reference to this being completed by the end of 2018.

Theresa Villiers: The Department is planning for all the rolling stock and infrastructure for IEP services on the East Coast Main Line to be delivered by May 2019.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date she expects all the rolling stock and infrastructure for the Intercity Express Programme on the Great Western Mainline to have been delivered; and for what reason the May 2012 update to her Department's business plan removed the reference to this being completed by the end of 2017.

Theresa Villiers: The Department is planning for all the rolling stock and infrastructure for IEP services on the Great Western Main Line to be delivered by July 2018.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions are in place to allow for the testing of unmanned air vehicles in UK airspace.

Theresa Villiers: A facility for research and development in relation to Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) has been set up in the ParcAberporth site in West Wales. This utilises West Wales Airport and a complex of Danger Areas surrounding it (both over water and over land). These Danger Areas provide the requisite segregated airspace for UAS operations 'beyond visual line of sight'. In addition, there are a number of other UK Danger Areas within which UAS operations may be permitted.
	A Danger Area is defined as
	“airspace which has been notified as such within which activities dangerous to the flight of aircraft may take place or exist at such times as may be notified”.
	When such airspace is required, its vertical and lateral dimensions, hours of operation and other salient details are notified in the En-Route section of the United Kingdom Aeronautical Information Publication.
	DFT charges the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), through the Directorate of Airspace Policy (DAP), with ensuring the safe and efficient use of all airspace, including Danger Areas, while embracing the concept of the Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA). Danger Area Sponsors manage Danger Area airspace and set the policy to ensure the safe, effective and efficient management of the airspace for which they have responsibility. UAS will be subject to the same level of safety regulation as conventional manned aircraft.

Pay

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) highest, (b) median, (c) median full-time equivalent and (d) lowest full-time equivalent salary was paid by (i) her Department and (ii) its public bodies in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13.

Richard Benyon: The response in the following table provides data for the core Department and its Executive Agencies. Data for other public bodies is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The information provided shows the position for staff in post as at 31 March 2011, 31 March 2012 and 31 May 2012. Information for all staff employed within the full yearly periods requested would not be available without incurring disproportionate cost. Data shown includes base salary and allowances.
	In line with previous reporting on senior salaries, the highest salary figure in response to (a) has been provided in a £5,000 band.
	
		
			 Core DEFRA 
			 £ 
			 Data as at (date): Highest salary Median salary Median FTE salary Lowest FTE salary 
			 31 March 2011 155,000 to 160,000 32,617 33,399 15,739 
			 31 March 2012 155,000 to 160,000 32,617 33,650 15,279 
			 31 May 2012 155,000 to 160,000 32,617 33,507 15,279 
		
	
	Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA)
	AHVLA was vested on 1 April 2011 through the merger of Animal Health and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency. The following table shows figures for each Agency separately for the 2010-11 financial year, with merged figures for 2011-12 and 2012-13.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Organisation Data as at (date): Highest salary Median salary Median FTE salary Lowest FTE salary 
			 AH 31 March 2011 130,000 to 135,000 25,266 25,903 15,279 
			 VLA 31 March 2011 130,000 to 135,000 21,469 23,489 14,310 
			 AHVLA 31 March 2012 130,000 to 135,000 23,740 25,462 14,560 
			  31 May 2012 130,000 to 135,000 23,740 25,462 14,560 
		
	
	
		
			 Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VIVID) 
			 £ 
			 Data as at (date); Highest salary Median salary Median FTE salary Lowest FTE salary 
			 31 March 2011 90,000 to 95,000 29,848 30,527 19,155 
			 31 March 2012 115,000 to 120,000 29,848 29,848 19,405 
			 31 May 2012 115,000 to 120,000 29,848 29,848 19,405 
		
	
	
		
			 Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) 
			 £ 
			 Data as at (date): Highest salary Median salary Median FTE salary Lowest FTE salary 
			 31 March 2011 120,000 to 125,000 24,036 25,250 13,402 
		
	
	
		
			 31 March 2012 120,000 to 125,000 24,036 25,250 13,652 
			 31 May 2012 120,000 to 125,000 24,036 25,250 13,652 
		
	
	
		
			 Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) 
			 £ 
			 Data as at (date): Highest salary Median salary Median FTE salary Lowest FTE salary 
			 31 March 2011 110,000 to 115,000 25,307 26,117 14,000 
			 31 March 2012 110,000 to 115,000 24,125 25,914 9,500 
			 31 May 2012 110,000 to 115,000 24,125 25,935 9,500 
		
	
	
		
			 Rural Payments Agency (RPA) 
			 £ 
			 Data as at (date): Highest salary Median salary Median FTE salary Lowest FTE salary 
			 31 March 2011 155,000 to 160,000 19,657 22,196 16,118 
			 31 March 2012 155,000 to 160,000 19,907 22,337 16,368 
			 31 May 2012 155,000 to 160,000 19,907 22,337 16,368

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, 
	(1)  what progress her Department has made on identifying a proportion of its resource budget which can be re-prioritised; what steps she has taken to identify such funds; and which parts of her Department's resource budget she has identified as suitable for re-prioritisation;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with her Department's agencies and the non-departmental bodies for which she is responsible on the contribution they will make to identifying resource budget for possible re-prioritisation.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in ‘Improving Spending Control’:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending _control.pdf
	Plans and options for re-prioritisation will not be published. They should be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to ensure fair competition in the (i) procurement of software for the extension of the road traffic accident portal to other types of claim and (ii) administration of the portal after its extension.

Jonathan Djanogly: The RTA portal is run by the RTA Portal Company, which is a privately owned and funded enterprise. Therefore, issues relating to the running of the portal are not a matter for this department.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, what progress his Department has made on identifying a proportion of its resource budget that can be re-prioritised; what steps he has taken to identify such funds; and which parts of his Department's resource budget he has identified as suitable for re-prioritisation;
	(2)  with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, what discussions he has had with his Department's agencies and the non-departmental bodies for which he is responsible on the contribution they will make to identifying resource budget for possible re-prioritisation;
	(3)  with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, when he will make public the areas of his Department's resource budget he has identified for possible re-prioritisation; and when he plans to report to the Justice Select Committee on the outcome of this exercise.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in improving spending control:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for re-prioritisation will not be published. They should be ‘live’ plans that are reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

Reoffenders

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people convicted of offences related to the public disorder of August 2011 have reoffended after being released from prison.

Crispin Blunt: As at 15 June 2012, 710 offenders who were sentenced to custody for offences related to the public disorder of 6-9 August 2011 had been released from prison. In terms of measuring reoffending, these offenders will fall in the cohort for July 2011 to June 2012 whose reoffending will be published in the Proven Reoffending Statistics Quarterly Bulletin in April 2014. This is because we allow a one-year follow-up period for reoffending to occur, and a further six-month waiting period for offences to be processed by the courts.
	For your information, reoffending statistics are available from the Ministry of Justice website at:
	www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/reoffending/proven-re-offending
	The latest information on the public disorder in August 2011 is available at:
	www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/criminal-justice/public-disorder-august-11

Road Traffic Offences

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice to what extent the UK participates in EU decision SCH/Com-ex (99) 11 rev.2 on co-operation in proceedings for road traffic offences; and what assessment he has made of the effect of any such participation on the prosecution of road traffic offences in the UK.

Crispin Blunt: The UK participates in this EU decision, and has implemented it in so far as we have implemented Framework Decision 2005/214/JHA which in part supersedes it. The UK must decide, no later than 31 May 2014, whether to accept full European Court of Justice jurisdiction over those EU police and criminal justice measures adopted before 1 December 2009 which have not been amended or replaced. This instrument falls within the scope of this decision and is being reviewed accordingly.

Unpaid Fines: Lancashire

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the value was of uncollected fines in (a) Blackpool and (b) Wyre for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: Financial penalties are collected by local accounting centres which collect financial penalties on behalf of courts in their area. Lancashire Accounting Centre enforces fines imposed by Blackpool, Blackburn, Chorley, Lancaster, Preston and Reedley magistrates courts and the Crown Court sitting at Burnley and Preston. Accounting centres do not record amounts collected and outstanding at a court or geographic breakdown and are the lowest level we can go to without manually inspecting individual accounts which would incur disproportionate costs.
	Table 1 as follows shows the outstanding balance at Lancashire Accounting Centre on 31 March 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008.
	Financial penalties include amounts for fines, costs, prosecution costs, legal aid, victim surcharge, compensation and unpaid fixed penalties and penalty notices for disorder that are transferred to HMCTS for enforcement. The outstanding balance includes fines which are being collected by instalments, and outstanding monies from previous months/years.
	Over the last few years there has been an increase in fine collections by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). Last year (2011) we collected £277 million in fines compared to £251 million in 2009—a 10% increase.
	HMCTS has achieved this by focusing on early compliance with financial impositions by using a number of methods such as use of telephone and text message reminders to defaulters, intelligence tracing tools, increased use of enforcement sanctions like deduction from benefit orders and attachment of earnings and targeted payment blitzes on specific groups of defaulters. There are a number of other initiatives being developed to further improve the collection of financial penalties.
	
		
			 Table 1: Outstanding balance of financial penalties at Lancashire Accounting Centre as at 31 March in each of the last five years 
			  Outstanding balance (£) 
			 31 March 2012 11,604,000 
			 31 March 2011 12,476,000 
			 31 March 2010 13,111.000 
			 31 March 2009 13,870.000 
			 31 March 2008 12,236,000 
			 Note: Rounded to nearest thousand pounds.

Victim Support Schemes

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  with reference to the Government's response to its consultation on victims and witnesses, when his Department will publish further details on how local commissioning will be implemented;
	(2)  with reference to the Government's response to its consultation on victims and witnesses, if he will make it his policy to ring-fence police and crime commissioner budgets for victims' services;
	(3)  with reference to the Government's response to its consultation on victims and witnesses, if he will hold discussions with stakeholders on the practicalities of implementing the commissioning of victims' services by police and crime commissioners.

Crispin Blunt: On 2 July the Government announced in its response to the consultation “Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses”' that, by 2015. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will be responsible for commissioning the bulk of victims' services.
	There is more work to be done before we are in a position to provide further details of how local commissioning will be implemented but we will certainly engage with stakeholders to help us consider the practicalities.
	PCCs are an important element of the Government's drive towards greater localism and freedom to make informed choices is fundamental to their role. As such, it is not the Government's intention to ring-fence the funding that will no to them.

Welfare Tax Credits

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) average and (b) maximum waiting time was for an appeal for a tax credit decision in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC) decisions on tax credits.
	(a) During the period 1 January to 31 March 2012 (the latest period for which data has been published) the average time taken from receipt of a tax credit appeal by the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) Tribunal until the date of the decision being issued was 18.1 weeks. In most tax credit appeal hearings a decision notice is issued on the day of the hearing.
	(b) The SSCS Tribunal does not hold information on the single longest period an appellant has waited for a benefit appeal hearing. The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost by manually checking individual case files. However, during the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 4,400 tax credit appeals were disposed of (an increase of 57% on the same period in 2010-11). Of these 0.3% were more than two years old. Those appeals that take longer than two years to be disposed of are likely to be complex cases which may have more than one hearing, for example a first hearing may have been adjourned for further evidence to be gathered.
	HMCTS has continued to respond strongly to the significant increase in appeal cases received by the SSCS Tribunal. It is working hard to increase the capacity of the SSCS Tribunal and reduce waiting times. It has implemented a range of measures which include recruiting more judges and medical panel members; increasing administrative resources and streamlining processes; securing additional hearing venues across the country; increasing the number of cases listed in each tribunal session; running double shifts in its largest processing centre; running Saturday sittings in some of the busiest venues; and establishing a customer contact centre to deal with telephone inquiries.
	All of this is having a positive effect. The total number of disposals has increased significantly from 279,000 in 2009-10 to 380,000 in 2010-11, and 433,600 appeals in 2011-12. with the capacity for half a million disposals in 2012-13. Perhaps most notably, the tribunal disposed of more appeals than it received in every month between January 2011 and February 2012 (14 consecutive months) and the outstanding caseload within the tribunals fell by 25% in 2011-12 to reach 145,000 on 31 March 2012. The average waiting time has stabilised nationally, and is beginning to fall across many venues.

Biofuels

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what provisions have been made to ensure that the companies receiving subsidies for biofuel use comply with the UN declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples and International Labour Organisation Convention 169.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government supports commercial biofuel production. Sustainability criteria to support schemes for energy generated from biofuels are set under the European Union renewable energy directive (RED); the UK cannot deviate from these. These criteria must show greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions saving compared to fossil fuel use and restrictions to protect land with high carbon or biodiversity value.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) does not provide subsidies to companies to produce biofuels. DFID has supported the development of the Principles of Responsible Agricultural Investment and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation Voluntary Guidelines on land use to set voluntary international standards for investment in agricultural production including biofuels. The Voluntary Guidelines explicitly encourage recognition and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples. The UK Government is also a signatory to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
	Under RED the European Commission must monitor and report every two years on the impact of biofuel policy and increased demand for biofuel on social sustainability. Reports must address issues of land use rights, and must also state whether the production of raw material for biofuel for use in the EU complies with Conventions of the International Labour Organisation.

Biofuels

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what safeguards are in place to ensure that biofuels used in the UK have not been grown on the land of indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government is clear that biofuel production should not be detrimental to local communities, on their food security, livelihoods, or on the environment. The European Commission must monitor and report every two years on the impact of biofuel policy and increased demand for biofuel on social sustainability. Reports must address issues of land use rights, and must also state whether the production of raw material for biofuel for use in the European Union (EU) complies with Conventions of the International Labour Organisation. If necessary the Commission must propose corrective action. The Government will press for proper account to be taken of the social impacts of bioenergy production in EU policy.
	We have supported work to develop Principles of Responsible Agricultural Investment and the Voluntary Guidelines on land use which will help to set voluntary international standards for investment in agricultural production including biofuels.

Developing Countries: Biofuels

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he plans to take to address the effect of biofuels on developing countries; and what discussions he has had with (a) his EU counterparts and (b) the European Commission on biofuels and developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government is clear that the production of biomass for bioenergy must not undermine food security, in the UK or internationally. Biofuel production should not adversely impact on food prices and availability, or on local people's access to land and other natural resources, in developing countries. The Department for International Development (DFID) continues to assess the evidence for the impact of biofuels on developing countries. Any steps taken will be predicated on the principle that food production must remain the primary goal of agriculture.
	The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), has not had formal discussions on biofuels with his European counterparts or the European Commission. DFID is working closely with other UK Government Departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Department for Transport to address concerns related to the impact of biofuels on food prices and on developing countries. These concerns have been also addressed in the DECC ‘UK Bioenergy Strategy’, published in April.

Developing Countries: Family Planning

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the London Summit on Family Planning, what estimate he has made of the proportion of unintended pregnancies in developing countries which were the result of forced or coerced sex.

Andrew Mitchell: The ability of women and girls to use contraception is hindered when they are in abusive relationships where domestic violence or forced sex takes place. Evidence indicates that the risk of unintended pregnancy is higher in the context of poor partner communication and higher rate of domestic violence.
	Adolescent girls, including girls who are married to, or in relationships with, older men, are particularly at risk. In Malawi and Ghana studies report that around a third of the girls reported that they were not “willing at all” during their first sexual experience.
	The London Summit on Family Planning recognises the risks of coerced sex and commitments sought by the summit therefore include measures to address the wider context of women's and girls' empowerment.

Private Sector

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what definition his Department uses of private sector in respect of this pillar of his Department's work.

Stephen O'Brien: DFID uses a broad definition of the private sector, encompassing private enterprises of all sizes, and in developing countries and elsewhere, for example including small-holder farmers, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, larger firms, financial institutions and multinational corporations.

Private Sector

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding mechanisms his Department uses to deliver work with the private sector.

Stephen O'Brien: The various funding mechanisms the Department for International Development (DFID) uses are laid out in the operational plans of all DFID offices and departments which are available on our website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/latest-news/2011/action-plans-set-out-future-of-uk-aid/
	The range of funding mechanisms available for businesses wanting to work with DFID are also outlined on our website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Work-with-us/Funding-opportunities/Business/
	and there is an overview of the approaches DFID takes to deliver work with the private sector in our 2011 publication ‘The Engine of Development’, available at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/publications1/Private-sector-approach-paper-May2011.pdf

South Sudan

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in South Sudan.

Alan Duncan: We are monitoring the situation in South Sudan closely. The humanitarian situation in South Sudan has deteriorated significantly since December. The refugee crisis along the border between Sudan and South Sudan, the situation in Abyei, and the potential for widespread food insecurity are our key current humanitarian concerns. DFID has already allocated over £29 million to the humanitarian response in South Sudan and will provide over 130,000 people with clean drinking water, and 100,000 people with emergency food assistance. However, the consequences of the oil shutdown are exacerbating the deterioration of the broader country-wide humanitarian situation. Last month the Consolidated Appeal Process raised its target for 2012 from $776 million to $1.2 billion. It is now roughly 30% funded.
	The UK Government is one of the leading donors to the humanitarian response in South Sudan, both through our direct funding (£15 million through CHF, £2 million through ICRC, and £10 million through WFP) and through our support channelled through the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO). This assistance will help support thousands of vulnerable and displaced people.

South Sudan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2012, Official Report, column 279W, on South Sudan, what recent assessment he has made of the crisis in South Sudan; what recent discussions he has had with representatives of (a) other governments and (b) the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the level of extra funds needed; if he will provide additional UK funds to alleviate the crisis; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: We are monitoring the situation in South Sudan closely. During my visit to South Sudan in April 2012, I saw for myself the dire situation in the border region with Sudan and was briefed on humanitarian needs across the country. In response to increasing needs, the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) have bid for $20 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund, to which the UK contributes 20%. We are also encouraging other donors to increase their humanitarian funding. Officials in the DFID office in Juba co-ordinate closely with representatives of other governments and humanitarian agencies to establish a common view of the level of humanitarian need and officials from my Department held a meeting with the Head of the UNHCR South Sudan office in London on 5 July.

UN Women

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Executive Director of UN Women; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: DFID is in regular contact with the executive director for UN Women and her officials in a variety of formats. Most recently, at the executive board of UN Women the UK made a national statement welcoming the progress that has been made to date and highlighting the priorities for the year ahead. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell) met with the deputy executive director to discuss this while in New York last month and has a meeting with the executive director to discuss this further when she is in London for the family planning summit.

First-time Buyers: Hendon

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to assist young people to buy their first property in Hendon constituency.

Grant Shapps: Across England Government has committed to supporting people to achieve their aspirations and feel the pride of home ownership. From 1 April 2012, the Mayor of London has been responsible for strategic housing, regeneration and economic development in London.
	We recognise the particular challenges faced by first-time buyers, and we are providing a range of options intended to help them and others into home ownership, including:
	shared ownership which helps people unable to buy a home without assistance to purchase a minimum 25% share paying rent on the remainder;
	the FirstBuy equity loan scheme, jointly funded by the Government and participating developers, which will help almost 10,500 aspiring home owners by spring 2013;
	the NewBuy Guarantee Scheme which will provide up to 100,000 prospective buyers—including first-time buyers—with access to 95% loan to value mortgages on new build properties, delivering a significant boost to housing supply; and
	the reinvigorated Right to Buy scheme with the new discount cap of £75,000 will also help more people—including first-time buyers—to realise their aspiration for home ownership.
	The Government is also committed to reducing the UK's burden of debt and abolishing the structural deficit. This will help to keep interest rates low and improve credit availability, freeing up lending for first-time buyers.

High Street Review

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans his Department has to assist business communities which were unsuccessful in the first round of the Portas Pilot.

Grant Shapps: In response to the overwhelming interest from hundreds of locations across the country, sparked by the competition for the first wave of 12 Portas Pilots, I announced there would be a second wave of pilots who will receive a share of a further £1 million, support from Whitehall and Mary Portas. 12 further pilots will be funded by DCLG with a further three funded by the Greater London authority. Winners of the second round will be announced by the end of July.
	I want to ensure all town teams can benefit from the successes and learning from the pilots. Details of further support for unsuccessful applicants will be announced in due course.
	Portas Pilots are part of a package of measures announced in March to revive high streets, including;
	A £10 million High Street Innovation Fund awarded to councils in areas blighted by empty shops and recovering from the riots to help bring entrepreneurs back to their communities;
	A £500,000 investment to help Business Improvement Districts access loans for their set-up costs,
	A £1 million Future High Street X-Fund which will reward the areas delivering the most effective and innovative plans to bring their town centres back to life.
	£1 million funding support to help the development of high street neighbourhood plans as part of our neighbourhood planning programme.

Housing: Construction

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many house building starts there were in (a) 2009 and (b) 2011.

Grant Shapps: House building starts in England were 29% higher in 2011 compared to 2009, rising from 85,600 units in 2009 to 110,230 in 2011 (DCLG, “Housebuilding: March Quarter 2012 England”, 17 May 2012, Table 2a).
	I also note that the value of new housing construction was 34% higher in 2011 compared to 2009 (ONS, “Output in the Construction Industry”, 11 May 2012; figures in constant price terms, for Great Britain).
	Moreover, housing construction orders were up 39% in 2011 compared to 2009 (ONS, “New orders in the construction industry” Q1 2012, 8 June 2012, Table 4; figures in constant price terms, for Great Britain).

Local Government: Procurement

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the investigation by a local authority of commercial concerns and disputes prior to it awarding a contract to a company involved in such a matter.

Bob Neill: holding answer 9 July 2012
	Subject to their legal duties local authorities are responsible for taking their own procurement decisions, including what investigations they make about a company's commercial affairs and disputes. The local government transparency code requires councils to publish tenders and contracts online to assist local scrutiny and accountability of the awarding of contracts.

Non-domestic Rates

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the publication of the Pooling of Non-Domestic Rates and Redistribution to Local Authorities in England Account 2011-12, how much was contributed by each local authority in each of the last five years; and what the value was of sums redistributed to each local authority in each of the last five years.

Bob Neill: Information on the amount of national non-domestic rates collected by each local authority in England in each of the last five years can be found at the following address:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/nondomesticrates/outturn/outturndatalocallevel/
	Information on the amounts of redistributed national non-domestic rates received by each local authority in England in 2007-08 to 2010-11 can be found in row 870 of the revenue outturn summary forms, which have been published as follows:
	2010-11
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/21237421.xls
	2009-10
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/2031728.xls
	2008-09
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1718972.xls
	2007-08
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1718946.xls
	I have today placed in the Library of the House a table containing information on the amount of redistributed national non-domestic rates received by each local authority in England in 2006-07 which was taken from the revenue outturn summary form for that year.

Power to Recall MPs

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made on plans to introduce a power for people to recall their Member of Parliament.

Mark Harper: Following the conclusion of its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Government's draft Bill, the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee published its report on 28 June. The Government is carefully considering the Committee's recommendations and will respond in due course.

Rio+20 Summit

Robert Halfon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received from (a) European and (b) other foreign governments on his speech to the Rio+20 summit.

Nicholas Clegg: In the build-up to the Rio summit, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I worked extensively with our partners to prepare the ground for a positive result. We achieved much that the UK fought for and broadly can welcome: Sustainable Development Goals, support for the green economy, sustainability reporting and GDP+—though it didn't go as far as we wanted.
	The UK position was developed in close co-operation with our European and global partners. For example, while in Rio I hosted the Natural Capital summit with Norway, Denmark and Colombia. Working with our partners on an international scale will continue to be crucial as we turn words into action, implementing the agreements achieved at Rio.

Lobbying

Mark Williams: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received on improving transparency in lobbying.

Mark Harper: The Government received a wide range of responses to its consultation on 'Introducing a Statutory Register of Lobbyists' which closed on 20 April 2012. I have also received correspondence from MPs and interested parties regarding the Government's proposals.
	The Government will publish its formal response—providing a summary of responses received and setting out the next steps—shortly. This will then be followed by a White Paper and draft legislation setting out the Government's detailed proposals, later this Session.

House of Lords Reform

Michael McCann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he plans to take to ensure that the primacy of the House of Commons is maintained under his proposals for House of Lords reform.

Mark Harper: The primacy of the House of Commons rests on a number of resolutions and conventions, but it is buttressed and guaranteed by statutes. The Joint Committee on the draft House of Lords Reform Bill recognised this when it said that:
	“the remaining pillars on which Commons primacy rests would suffice to ensure its continuation”.
	The Government has ensured that Commons primacy will remain beyond doubt by restating the continued application of the Parliament Acts on the face of the House of Lords Reform Bill.

Social Mobility

Stephen Williams: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made on the Government's social mobility strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Nicholas Clegg: This Government remains committed to improving social mobility. On 22 May 2012, the Government published a full update on the progress we have made in the last year on the policies outlined in the Social Mobility Strategy that was published in April 2011.

Arms Trade

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  which developing countries owe the UK debts for arms sales; and what arms this includes;
	(2)  when each debt held by sovereign governments to the Export Credits Guarantee Department under debt rescheduling agreements was incurred.

Norman Lamb: The information requested is not readily available and would involve disproportionate cost to obtain, assuming it is still held, given the age of the export contracts involved, most of which go back to the 1970s and 1980s. UK Export Finance (ECGD) is currently carrying out an exercise to ascertain what information might be available about the debts. Because of the age of the related export contracts and the sheer volume of fifes involved, this exercise is still ongoing. Subject to availability of staff resources that can be diverted to this task, the aim is to complete it as soon as possible. When the exercise is complete, the information that is available will be placed in the Library of the House.

Business: Regulation

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria his Department and its Executive agencies use to determine whether or not to grant waivers for micro-businesses in respect of the introduction of new regulations.

Mark Prisk: The Government's policy on the application of new regulation to micro-businesses is set out in the document 'Guidance on Moratorium on New Domestic Regulation for Micro-Businesses and Start-Ups' at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/better-regulation/docs/g/11-1198-guidance-moratorium-on-new-domestic-regulation

Direct Selling

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what guidance his Department provides to Trading Standards on doorstop selling and cold calling;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the effect of doorstep selling and cold calling on old people;
	(3)  what steps his Department has taken to encourage local communities to establish No Cold Calling Zones.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not issue guidance specifically for trading standards officers. It does, however, issue, or contribute to, a variety of guidance for business; including guidance published on the BIS and Business Link websites. Guidance covers a number of regulations which are relevant to doorstep selling and cold calling, for example, on the application of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/1277) and on the cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer's Home or Place of Work etc Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/1816). I understand that trading standards officers consult our guidance, although particular enforcement strategies are a matter for each local authority to decide.
	The Department has made no recent assessment of the effect of doorstep selling and cold calling on old people. More generally, in April this year the Office of Fair Trading published its evaluation of the effects of its 2004 market study into doorstep selling. The report is published on the Office of Fair Trading’s (OFTs) website at:
	http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/Evaluating-OFTs-work/oft1413.pdf
	The establishment of a No Cold Calling Zone is a matter for local consideration based on locally prevailing conditions, This generally involves a co-ordinated approach by a local community, a local authority, and the police. Central Government therefore neither encourages nor discourages local communities to establish No Cold Calling Zones, but we are of the view that local authorities should limit their establishment to those circumstances and areas where there is a compelling evidence-based case to suggest they are needed as an aid to combating crime. The benefits to consumers from measures aimed at crime reduction should outweigh the costs to legitimate business of having restrictions imposed, and those restrictions should be removed when it is apparent that the criminal activity they are aimed at has diminished.

Lost Working Days

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average number of working days lost per person was in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last three years.

Norman Lamb: In June 2009 the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) was merged with The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) to create The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Therefore we only have access to data from this date.
	The table shows days lost through sickness absence for BIS Core (including UKTI). Days lost due to annual leave cannot be quantified as this information is not held centrally. Agencies will provide their own responses.
	Years overlap due to the way in which data is collected on a 12 month rolling period.
	
		
			  Average Working Days Lost 
			 July 2009 to June 2010 3.8 
			 January 2010 to December 2010 3.3 
			 April 2010 to March 2011 3.5 
			 July 2010 to June 2011 3.0 
			 October 2010 to September 2011 3.1 
			 January 2011 to December 2011 4.6 
		
	
	All BIS core (including UKTI) and agencies sickness absence information is published on a quarterly basis and can be found in the following link:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/about/performance-reports
	The increase in recorded absence in 2011 was expected, as BIS has implemented more robust reporting arrangements.
	Letter from John Alty, dated 4 July 2012
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 2nd July 2012, to the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Intellectual Property Office's average working days lost per person, as reported to the Cabinet Office at Q4 each year, are as follows:
	Year 2011/12—7.6
	Year 2010/11—7.0
	Year 2009/10—7.9
	Letter from Graham Horne, dated 5 July 2012
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, what the average number of working days lost per person was in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last three years.
	The Insolvency Service is an Executive Agency of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS).
	The following table shows the average number of working days lost per person through sickness absence. Days lost due to other types of leave cannot be quantified as this information is not held centrally.
	
		
			 Year ending: Average Working Days Lost 
			 March 2010 7.9 
			 March 2011 7.5 
			 March 2012 9.2 
		
	
	Letter from Malcolm Dawson, dated 4 July 2012
	I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to your Parliamentary Question numbered 115292 tabled on 2 July 2012 which asked the following:
	To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the average number of working days lost per person was in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last three years.
	The figures are:
	2011/2012—7.64
	2010/2011—8.49
	2009/2010—8.87
	I hope that you find this information helpful.
	Letter from John Hirst, dated 4 July 2012
	I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 2 July 2012, UIN 115292 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Met Office reports the average working days lost per person in its annual report and accounts, available on the Met Office website at:
	www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/library/publications/corporate
	In each of the last 3 years, the average working days lost per person at the Met Office was:
	5.5 days in 2011-12;
	5.6 days in 2010-11;
	4.9 days in 2009-10.
	I hope this helps.
	Letter from Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, dated 4 July 2012
	As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to contact you in response to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister of State of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average number of working days lost per person was in his department and each of his agencies in each of the last three years.
	The average days lost due to sickness absence per Ordnance Survey employee for each year are as follows:
	2009-10—4.29
	2010-11—3.91
	2011-12—4.77
	Letter from David Williams, dated 3 July 2012
	Thank you for your question addressed to the Minister of State for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, what the average number of working days lost per person was in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last three years. 115292
	The UK Space Agency became an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 1 April 2011 and the only data available is for the period 1 January - 31 December 2011, where the average number of working days lost per person was 1.7. Figures prior to this date are included in the core Department of Business, Innovation and Skills data,
	Letter from Peter Mason, dated 4 July 2012
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 2 July 2012, asking the Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about days lost during the last three years.
	The average number of working days lost per person employed by NMO in each of the last three years was as follows:
	In 2009 - 2010 an average of 4 days per person
	In 2010-2011 an average of 3.5 days per person
	In 2011 - 2012 an average of 4.9 days per person
	This information is made available publicly each financial year in the NMO Annual Report and Accounts, as required.
	Letter from Tim Moss, dated 5 July 2012
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 2 July 2012, UIN 110971 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The average number of days lost per person in Companies House in each of the last three years was as follows.
	2009/10—11.18
	2010/11—10.86
	2011/12—10.81
	Letter from Kim Thorneywork, dated 5 July 2012
	Thank you for your question in asking the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the average number of working days lost per person was in his Department and each of its agencies in each of the last three years.
	Please be advised that the Skills Funding Agency (the Agency) has only been in existence since April 1st 2010 and as such it is only possible to provide this data for each of the last 2 years.
	Year 1 (Apr 2010 to Mar 2011)
	The average number of sickness absence days lost per person = 6.47 working days
	Year 2 (Apr 2011 to Mar 2012)
	The average number of sickness absence days lost per person = 6.16 working days
	2 Year Average (Apr 2010 to Mar 2012)
	The average number of sickness absence days lost per person = 6.32 working days

Manufacturing Industries: Regulation

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to reduce the number of regulations affecting the manufacturing sector.

Mark Prisk: The Red Tape Challenge has run a specific manufacturing 'theme', identifying 38 redundant regulations for removal and a further 19 to improve. The Government has also committed to streamlining procedures for export control, including increasing transparency and keeping customers better informed of timescales for processing applications. Furthermore, plans from other themes such as employment-related law and environment are expected to deliver significant savings to all businesses, including the manufacturing sector—for example, an overhaul of employment tribunals which is expected to save businesses £40 million per year and a package of environmental deregulation which will save businesses at least £1 billion over five years. Details on all commitments made through the Red Tape Challenge can be found at:
	www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Overseas Students

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many foreign students of each nationality started courses in English universities, in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

David Willetts: Information on the number of non-UK domiciled entrants at English higher education institutions broken down by country of domicile will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Figures are provided for the academic years 2008/09 to 2010/11. Information for the 2011/12 academic year will become available from January 2013.

Overseas Trade: Malawi

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the primary (a) imported and (b) exported goods and services are between the UK and Malawi.

Mark Prisk: In 2011, the UK exported goods to the value of £18.3 million to Malawi, and imported goods to the value of £31.7 million.
	The top five goods traded between the UK and Malawi are shown in the tables using the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) at 2 digit detail.
	No services trade data is available for 2011. In 2010 the UK exported services to the value of £34 million to Malawi and imported services to the value of £10 million from Malawi. No product breakdown is available. In 2010 HMRC reported total goods exports of £17.5 million to Malawi and total goods imports of £23.9 million from Malawi. It should be noted that HMRC goods and ONS services trade data are not reported on a wholly consistent basis.
	Source:
	HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics (Goods), ONS Balance of Payments (Services)
	
		
			 UK Exports to Malawi 2011 
			 SITC-2 £ Sterling Percentage 
			 Total 18,333,781 — 
			    
			 78—Road vehicles (including air cushion vehicles) 5,503,799 30.0 
		
	
	
		
			 89—Miscellaneous manufactured articles n.e.s. 5,473,845 29.9 
			 72—Machinery specialized for particular industries 1,029,366 5.6 
			 75—Office machines and adp machines 1,016,555 5.5 
			 87—Professional, scientific and controlling ins and app n.e.s. 1,002,714 5.5 
		
	
	
		
			 UK Imports from Malawi 2011 
			 SITC-2 £ Sterling Percentage 
			 Total 31,729,490 — 
			    
			 07—Coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and manufactures thereof 14,501,271 45.7 
			 12—Tobacco & tobacco manufactures 9,042,580 28.5 
			 06—Sugar, sugar preparations and honey 6,259,284 19.7 
			 05—Vegetables and fruit 1,693,417 5.3 
			 91—Postal packages not classified according to kind 148,900 0.5

Regional Growth Fund

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  when he expects all successful Round One bidders from the Regional Growth Fund to receive their full allocation of allotted funding announced on 12 April 2011;
	(2)  when he expects all successful Round Two bidders from the Regional Growth Fund to receive their full allocation of allotted funding announced on 31 October 2011;
	(3)  how many successful Round One bidders to the Regional Growth Fund received their full allocation of allotted funding by 12 November 2011;
	(4)  how many successful Round Two bidders to the Regional Growth Fund had received their full allocation of allotted funding by 30 April 2012.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The Regional Growth Fund has made £502 million of funding available to successful bidders since it was established. Funding for the majority of successful round 1 and round 2 bidders is expected to paid in 2012-13 and 2013-14 and will be dependent on bidders satisfying the conditions attaching to their particular grant offer, progress against which is closely monitored. A number of these successful bids were for programmes, where beneficiaries receive funding that they disburse to projects on behalf of the Government.
	No successful round one bidders had received their full allocation of funding by 12 November 2011. Eight successful round two beneficiaries, all relating to the programmes mentioned above, had received all of their allotted funding by 30 April 2012.

Regional Growth Fund

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will increase the number of full-time staff in his Department working solely on the administration of the Regional Growth Fund.

Mark Prisk: I am pleased to say that the number of full-time staff working on the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) has already been increased. As of 6 July 2012, there are 52 full-time equivalent staff working on the administration of the RGF.
	The RGF staff comprises of a mixture of accountants, economists, policy specialists and administrative staff.

Regional Growth Fund: Merseyside

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what projects in Merseyside have received or have been announced as being expected to receive funding from the Regional Growth Fund; how much was awarded to each such project; and what funds had been released to each project from the Regional Growth Fund as at 1 July 2012.

Mark Prisk: The following projects in the Merseyside region are expected to receive funding from the Regional Growth Fund. The total amount awarded is £96,728,724. The total amount paid to those projects which have started is £31,872,900 as at 1 July 2012.
	
		
			 Final offers Award made (£) 
			 Crown Speciality Packaging UK 1,030,000 
			 Eldonians Group Ltd 25,335,000 
			 Getrag Ford Transmissions 3,360,000 
			 Harpscreen (GB) Ltd 1,097,750 
			 Liverpool Echo/Aspire Fund 1,000,000 
			 Pilkington United Kingdom Ltd 5,000,000 
			 Redx Pharma Ltd 5,920,000 
		
	
	Provisional o ffers (award not vet finalised)
	Dairy Crest Ltd
	Keepmoat Homes Ltd
	North West Aerospace Alliance
	Sefton Council
	Unilever.

Students: Loans

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what agreement he has made with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on carrying over funding allocated to 24+ advanced learner loans for the 2013-14 to the 2014-15 academic year in the event of the full allocation for 2013-14 not being taken up by adult learners.

John Hayes: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has made no agreement with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on carrying over funding allocated to 24+ advanced learning loans for the 2013-14 to 2014-15 financial year, in the event of the full allocation for 2013-14 financial year not being taken up by adult learners.
	The mechanisms by which Departments can carry over funding between financial years are set out in Managing Public Money, Chapter 2:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/consolidated_budgeting_guidance_201213.pdf
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has made no decision at this time what, if any, Budget exchange requests might be made in 2013-14.

Alcoholic Drinks: Mothers

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of alcohol-dependent mothers.

Anne Milton: The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) 2007 carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NATCen) and commissioned by the Health and Social Care Information Centre collected data on mental health among adults aged 16 and over living in private households in England.
	The Department's analysis of the survey data shows that 1,500 women were living in the same household as their son/daughter, step-son/daughter or their foster child. Of these mothers, 43 (3%) were mildly dependent on alcohol and none were moderately or severely dependent.
	Alcohol dependence was assessed using the SADQ-C (Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire, community version). A SADQ-C score of 4-19 indicated mild dependence; a score of 20-34, moderate dependence; and a score of 35 or more, severe dependence.
	A copy of the APMS 2007 has already been placed in the Library.

Antidepressants: Sexual Dysfunction

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 26 April 2012, Official Report, columns 1039-40W, on antidepressants, what assessment he has made of the decrease in libido and other sexual problems that result from the long-term use of antidepressants.

Simon Burns: For information on what assessment has been made of the decrease of libido following long term use of antidepressants I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 26 April 2012, Official Report, columns 1039-40W.
	With regard to the risk of other sexual problems, the available preclinical and clinical trial data associated with the use of antidepressants were assessed at the time of licensing of all antidepressants and where other sexual problems were found to be a side effect of an antidepressant this has been reflected in the product information for prescribers and included in the Patient Information Leaflet.
	In the post licensing period, the safety of all antidepressants is subject to routine monitoring of reports of suspected adverse reactions from, healthcare professionals and patients and publications in the literature and any emerging data on the risk of sexual problems are carefully evaluated. Most recently in 2009, and then again in 2011, data were evaluated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency relating to concerns raised by some patients that short and long term use of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants may be associated with sexual dysfunction that persists even after the medication has been discontinued. Expert scientific and clinical advice was sought from independent scientific advisory committees who concluded that the available data were not sufficiently robust to demonstrate a causal association, particularly given that depression itself is known to affect sexual function, and therefore no updates to the advice provided in the product information were warranted.
	The MHRA continues to keep the occurrence of decreases in libido and other sexual problems associated with antidepressant use under close review. Any new data will be carefully evaluated and, where supported by the data, appropriate regulatory action will be taken.

Breast Cancer

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to improve the early diagnosis of breast cancer among patients aged 74 years old and over;
	(2)  how many women had mastectomies aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust area in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many women undergoing surgery for breast cancer were offered immediate breast reconstruction surgery aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Paul Burstow: Between January and March this year, we provided £2.5 million to support 18 local cancer awareness projects led by the national health service in over 60 primary care trusts (PCTs). Seven of these projects targeted breast cancer in women over 70, as this is an area where survival rates are particularly poor. The evaluation of this work will inform the future work of the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative.
	Information regarding the number of women offered immediate breast construction after breast cancer surgery is not routinely collected. The National Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Audit collected data on women having a mastectomy and immediate and delayed reconstruction surgery between 1 January 2008 and 31 March 2009. There are four audit reports and these are available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/mbrreports
	It is important to note that although all eligible English NHS trusts participated in the audit not all eligible cases were submitted to the audit, and not all of the cases submitted had complete clinical data. The audit only collected data on the surgeries described above; it did not include all breast cancer surgery, such as breast conservation surgery. Some women who initially have breast conservation surgery will have a further procedure, which may be a mastectomy with or without breast reconstruction.
	The Second Annual Report reported that of cases submitted to the audit, 48% of mastectomy patients were offered immediate reconstruction. The audit collected data by NHS trust and cancer network.
	Data concerning the number of women that had mastectomies aged 49 years and under, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, 70 to 79, 80 to 89 and over 90 years in each cancer network and PCT area in each year since 1997 cannot be provided in the format requested.
	We have provided a count of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) for women with a main or secondary procedure of mastectomy and for women with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer and a main or secondary procedure of mastectomy by cancer network, PCT of residence and by age groups requested. FCEs should not be seen as a count of patients as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion. Cancer network data are not available prior to 2009-10 and data from 1997-98 to 2008-09 data are provided at PCT level only. This information has been placed in the Library.

Cancer and Aortic Aneurysm

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to continue to (a) monitor and (b) publish statistics on access to screening for (i) cervical cancer, (ii) bowel cancer, (iii) breast cancer and (iv) abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Paul Burstow: There are no plans to discontinue monitoring or publishing statistics for either the NHS Breast Screening Programme or the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. A draft statistical return for the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme has been developed and NHS Cancer Screening Programmes is intending to pilot its usage later this year.
	The Department does not currently collect data on abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening. After national roll-out is complete in March 2013 consideration will be given to the publication of AAA screening statistics.

Chronically Sick People: Witham

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients there were with chronic medical conditions in (a) Witham Town and (b) Witham constituency in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the number of people with multiple sclerosis was in (a) Witham Town and (b) Witham constituency in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what the number of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis was in (a) Witham Town and (b) Witham constituency in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: Information is not available in the format requested.
	'Chronic medical conditions' is a very broad term that might apply to many different medical conditions. Information about patients with chronic medical conditions cannot be provided without further specification of the chronic conditions required.
	Information about the number of hospital episodes with a primary diagnosis of multiple sclerosis or myalgic encephalomyelitis for residents of the Mid Essex primary care trust (PCT) area in the last five years is shown in the following table. This is not a count of the number of people with each condition in Mid Essex PCT as the same person might have been admitted on more than one occasion.
	
		
			 Count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) with a primary diagnosis of multiple sclerosis or myalgic encephalomyelitis for residents of the Mid Essex PCT, 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			 Diagnosis 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Multiple sclerosis 147 375 461 584 663 
			 Myalgic encephalomyelitis * * * 6 0 
			 Notes: 1. An FAE is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs. are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission. 2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital, 3. The PCT contains the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where patients were treated, as they may have travelled to another area for treatment. 4. HES are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice, for example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures that may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. 5. To protect patient confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been replaced with "*". Where it was still possible to identify numbers from the total an additional number (the next smallest) has been replaced. 6. HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 national health service trusts and PCTs in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episode Statistic (HES) Information Centre for health and social care

Dental Services: Children

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the cost per child of providing a yearly dental check in school via a mobile clinic or visiting dental professional;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to encourage preventative measures for dental disease in children under 16 years;
	(3)  how much his Department spent on treating dental disease in children under 16 years in the last year.

Simon Burns: The cost of a child seeing a dentist for check ups and any associated treatment is met locally from services commissioned by primary care trusts and will vary according to location and dental needs. We do not hold central information on individual treatment costs. Total spend on dentistry is not broken down by age.
	The Government is committed to improving oral health, particularly of children. A new dental contract that promotes a more preventative approach to care will be introduced and elements of that contract, including a preventative care pathway, are being trialled in 70 dental practices.
	In advance of a new contract all dentists are being encouraged to adopt a preventative approach as set out in “Delivering Better Oral Health—an evidence-based toolkit for prevention” published jointly by the Department and the British Association for Community Dentistry. Rates of dentists prescribing high concentration fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash, both key indicators of a more preventative approach, are rising.
	Other initiatives focus on good self care reaching out to children who are not seeing a dentist regularly. “Brushing for life” is a campaign that delivers oral health advice to parents and their children in community settings such as Sure Start centres and child health clinics.

General Practitioners

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions have been placed on appointments of lay members to health commissioning boards; and for what reason any such restrictions have been made.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Act 2012 requires that every clinical commissioning group (CCG) must have a governing body. The Government Response to the NHS Future Forum report committed to each governing body having at least two lay members, one with a lead role in championing patient and public involvement, the other with a lead role in overseeing key elements of governance such as audit, remuneration and managing conflicts of interest. This is to ensure that there is independent oversight of the governance arrangements of CCGs, including systems for managing conflicts of interest and checks and balances for the stewardship of public money.
	The Act provides for regulations to specify requirements as to membership of governing bodies. The National Health Service (Clinical Commissioning Group) Regulations 2012, laid before Parliament on 26 June, therefore require that each governing body must have at least two lay members. The first lay person must have qualifications, expertise or experience such as to enable the person to express informed views about financial management and audit matters. The second must be someone who has knowledge about the area specified in the CCG's constitution such as to enable the person to express informed views about the discharge of the CCG's functions.
	The regulations also prevent certain individuals from counting as lay members if they would not be able to provide independent oversight. This includes members or employees of NHS organisations/employees of local authorities, employees of the Department and certain health care professionals. A full list of individuals excluded is laid out in schedule four of the regulations.

Health Services: Coventry

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors were employed by the NHS in the Coventry Primary Care Trust area in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not available in the format requested. Data held by the National Health Service Information Centre for health and social care for the number of doctors and nurses providing NHS primary care within the Coventry Primary Care Trust (PCT) area in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number (headcount) 
			 As at 30 September each year 2007 2008 2009 2010 (1) 2011 (1) 
			 All doctors(2, 3) 244 266 275 286 285 
			 Total qualified nursing staff(4) 516 538 567 573 558 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 372 403 421 421 410 
			 Practice nurses(5) 144 135 146 152 148 
		
	
	Both University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust employ doctors and nurses within the Coventry PCT area. NHS Information Centre data for the total number of doctors and nurses employed by these organisations (not just those within the Coventry PCT area) is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 
			  Number (headcount) 
			 As at 30 September each year 2007 2008 2009 2010 (1) 2011 (1) 
			 All doctors(2) 718 761 800 841 857 
			 Total qualified nursing staff(3) 2,101 2,110 2,210 2,241 2,115 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 2,101 2,110 2,210 2,241 2,115 
		
	
	
		
			 Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust 
			  Number (headcount) 
			 As at 30 September each year 2007 2008 2009 2010 (1) 2011 (1) 
			 All doctors(2) 172 164 159 168 164 
			 Total qualified nursing staff(3) 901 890 862 . 822 840 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 901 890 862 822 340 
			 (1) The new headcount methodology is not fully comparable with data for years prior to 2010, due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on headcount methodology is available in the Census publication. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. (2) Includes Hospital and Community Health Services doctors and general practitioners (GPs). (3) Excludes medical hospital practitioners and medical clinical assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals. (4) Nursing and midwifery figures exclude students on training courses leading to a first qualification as a nurse or midwife. (5) Practice staff counts for 2011 represents an improvement in data collection processes and comparisons with previous years should be treated with caution. Source: National Health Service Information Centre for health and social care

Herbal Medicine: Regulation

Heather Wheeler: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he and Ministers in his Department have had with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency on enforcement of the Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicines since it was introduced; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency regularly updates Ministers on a wide range of regulatory issues, including matters relating to the implementation of the Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products.

Mental Illness

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will establish an inquiry into the (a) increase in the number of prescriptions for anti-depressant drugs and (b) lack of take-up of mindfulness-based therapy for repeat episode depression;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the (a) effects and (b) cost of untreated mental illness on the severity of concurrent physical illness;
	(3)  what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of those with (a) mental and (b) physical illnesses who were treated for their condition in each of the last five years;
	(4)  what proportion of ill health among the under 65s was (a) mental and (b) physical illness in each of the last five years; and how much funding was given to each in each year.

Paul Burstow: People living with significant or persistent mental illness have significantly reduced health, quality of life and live on average 10 to 20 years less than those with no mental illness.
	We do not collect figures on the proportion of those with mental and physical illnesses treated for their condition. However, the Government has made its commitment to achieving parity of esteem between physical and mental health explicit in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
	The NHS Outcomes Framework 2012-13 (December 2011) sets out the outcomes and corresponding indicators that will be used to hold the NHS Commissioning Board to account for the outcomes it delivers through commissioning health services from 2012-13. Reducing premature death in people with serious mental illness is identified as an improvement area.
	The NHS Operating Framework for 2012-13 (November 2011) includes a particular focus on improving the physical health care of those with mental illness to reduce excess mortality.
	One of the six shared objectives of the Government's mental health strategy, ‘No Health Without Mental Health’, in February 2011 is that more people with mental health problems will have good physical health and that fewer people with mental health problems will die prematurely.
	The Public Health White Paper highlights the physical health inequality for people with mental illness as a public health concern which needs to be addressed.
	We have commissioned the Royal College of Psychiatrists to lead work on how to achieve “parity of esteem between mental health and physical health in practice”. This work, involving leading Royal Colleges, professional associations, charities and others, will consider what specific actions are needed to realise the Government's consistently articulated aim of ensuring mental health is on a par with physical health. As part of this, they will be examining all aspects of mental health and health care, from the complexities of co-morbidity between physical and mental health, to the attitudes and behaviour of mental health professionals, providers, commissioners and the public. The group will report in the autumn.
	The programme budget data in the following table include children and adolescent services (CAMHS) as well as substance misuse, organic mental disorders, psychotic disorders and other. The data in the latter categories are for all adults.
	
		
			 Programme budgeting estimated England level gross expenditure for mental health disorders and total gross expenditure 
			 £ billion 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Mental Health Disorders (MHD) 9.13 10.28 10.48 11.26 11.91 
			 MHD— Substance Misuse 0.72 0.83 0.93 0.99 1.09 
			 MHD—Organic Mental Disorders 0.75 0.77 0.88 1.32 1.51 
			 MHD—Psychotic Disorders 1.29 1.70 1.84 2.17 1.71 
			 MHD—CAMHS 0.72 0.74 0.69 0.77 0.76 
			 MHD—Other 5.64 6.24 6.15 6.02 6.83 
			 Total programme budget expenditure 84.19 93.18 96.81 103.97 107.0 
			 Source: Programme Budget Data 
		
	
	The Department collects data on the patients in contact with mental health services under the Mental Health Act 2007. The total numbers of those patients are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and patients on supervised community treatment by Mental Health Act 2007 mental category at 31 March, 2011 
			 England all NHS facilities 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Total 15,339 15,181 16,073 16,622 16,647 
			 Source: KP90: Health and Social Care Information Centre 
		
	
	The mental health minimum dataset collects data on the number of patients accessing adult and elderly secondary mental health services and these data are presented in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of people using adult and elderly NHS secondary mental health services, 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Total patients: 833,369 850,042 863,745 884,316 881,969 
			 Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre mental health minimum dataset 
		
	
	We do not have figures for the overall investment in physical ill health, early indication of the total NHS spend reported a cash increase of 3.02% between 2010-11 and 2011-12 compared to a 1.2% cash increase adult working age mental health services. There was a 1.0% increase in investment of the provision of direct services in the year 2011-12, a direct benefit to patients.
	We will not be establishing such inquiries.

NHS: Inspections

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he proposes that the Care Quality Commission will continue to make unannounced inspections of (a) hospitals, (b) care homes, (c) abortion clinics and (d) other health providers for the purpose of raising standards; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England and has a key responsibility in the overall assurance of essential levels of safety and quality of health and adult social care services. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 all providers of regulated activities, including national health service and independent providers, must register with the CQC and meet a set of essential requirements of safety and quality.
	The CQC is responsible for developing and consulting on its methodology for assessing whether providers are meeting the registration requirements.
	Under the 2008 Act, the CQC can make short, focussed unannounced site visits with direct observations of care at any time. The CQC has recently introduced a new regulatory model that will see most social care, independent health care services and NHS hospitals inspected at least once a year. CQC will inspect dental services at least once every two years.

Nutrition

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2012, Official Report, columns 805-6W, on nutrition, for what reasons expenditure for the Change 4 Life advertising campaign was reduced in 2010-11 and 2012-13 as compared to 2009-10.

Anne Milton: We have been progressively scaling back the amount of taxpayers’ money spent on Change4Life overall, including media spend, and have looked to others to increase support.
	The contribution, mainly in kind, from our national partners and selected media partners has increased over the same period in line with expectations—60-40%.
	Tracker results for the Change4Life brand show key brand values have been maintained.
	Change4Life continues to maintain a high level of trust with the public.

Palliative Care

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the integration of health and social care services to enable more people to die at home if they wish to do so.

Paul Burstow: Provisions in the NHS and Social Care Act 2012 place statutory duties on the NHS Commissioning Board, clinical commissioning groups, local authorities (through health and wellbeing boards) and Monitor to encourage integrated working at all levels.
	The NHS Outcomes Framework, the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework and the Public Health Outcomes Framework together support the Government's desire to improve integration of services. Domain Four of the NHS Outcomes Framework, ensuring that people have a positive experience of care, includes an indicator assessing the experience of end-of-life care.
	The spending review and 2011-12 NHS Operating Framework announced details of non-recurrent primary care trust (PCT) allocations for social care, totalling £648 million in 2011-12 and £622 million in 2012-13. The funding, allocated to PCTs, and then transferred to local authorities, was for investment in social services to benefit health and improve overall health gain. PCTs were expected to work with local authorities to agree jointly on appropriate areas for social care investment and the outcomes expected.
	The independent Palliative Care Funding Review, which was commissioned by the Department and reported in 2011, highlighted the importance of effective integration between health and social care services at the end of life. The Department is funding eight pilots over two years which will test all the review's recommendations, and will include both health and social care services.
	The Department is also supporting roll-out of electronic palliative care Co-ordination Systems (EPaCCS), which capture key information about people's care, including their expressed preferences about where they want to be cared for and die, and make these instantly accessible to relevant staff across care settings and organisations. Currently, EPaCCS systems focus on communication between health professionals and organisations. However, integrating social care is recognised as important, and some early implementers of systems are considering how to overcome technical and other challenges.

Royal College of General Practitioners

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2012, Official Report, column 234W, on the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), if he will place in the Library a copy of each presentation made by the two drug policy officials who attended the RCGP conference.

Anne Milton: The Royal College of General Practitioners has. published several of the presentations made at its May 2012 conference on their website, including the slide presentation on the misuse of prescribed medications, but not the slide presentation on payment by results for drug and alcohol recovery:
	www.rcgp.org.uk/courses__events/going_for_gold_2012/presentations_and_audio.aspx
	The slide presentation on payment by results for drug and alcohol recovery has been placed in the Library.
	It is important that anyone accessing these documents be aware that each slide presentation was intended to supplement an oral presentation rather than exist as a standalone document.

Armed Forces: Injuries

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has put in place to diagnose mild traumatic brain injury in infantry soldiers.

Andrew Robathan: A multi-disciplinary team providing a military clinical 'centre of excellence' for the diagnosis and treatment of mild traumatic brain injuries is based at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court.
	All personnel, including infantry soldiers, are diagnosed by Defence Medical Services in the same way. Individuals will be assessed by medical staff if, as a result of any incident, they are taken to a medical facility; if they contact medical staff with symptoms of illness; or if their chain of command recommends a medical consultation. This approach is reinforced through education, training and by generally raising awareness of mild traumatic brain injuries among troops, their commanders and medical staff to ensure they all remain alert to this risk.
	After their return from an operational theatre, the Defence Medical Services also conduct selective screening of all personnel seen at Headley Court where there is a history of injury that might put them at risk of mild traumatic brain injury. In addition, all personnel who may be at risk of mild traumatic brain injury admitted to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham and personnel who report to their primary care services with a history suggestive of mild traumatic brain injuries, should be referred to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre multi-disciplinary team.
	We also continue to conduct research into the area of traumatic brain injury with Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, the national health service and King's College London, as well as in collaboration with the US and other NATO partners in order to develop clinical diagnosis and management as well as future improvements in force protection equipment and practices.

Armed Forces: Vehicles

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which overseas military personnel or delegations were present at the Defence Vehicle Demonstration in Bedfordshire in June 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: Military personnel and delegations from the Australian, Belgian, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish and the US armed forces were present at the DVD in June 2012.

Defence Industry

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what proportion of the defence industry is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises;
	(2)  what proportion of the defence industry based in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence does not collect information on what proportion of the defence industry is comprised of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including how this is broken down across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As many of the SMEs supplying the MOD are also involved in, and have their primary focus in other areas of activity, it would in any case be problematic to define them as part of the defence industry. Data is collected on the volume and value of contracts awarded to SMEs and I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 June 2012, Official Report, column 1086W, to the hon. Member for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy).

Defence: Procurement

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many projects being delivered by (a) Babcock, (b) Boeing, (c) Cobham, (d) European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, (e) Finmeccanica, (f) General Dynamics, (g) Kellogg-Brown-Root, (h) Lockhead Martin, (i) Marshall Aerospace, (j) Northrup Grumman, (k) Rolls-Royce, (l) Thales and (m) Ultra Electronics for his Department are overrunning in (i) time and (ii) budget; and where each project is located.

Peter Luff: The information will take time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

DM Kineton

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on munitions processing in DM Kineton in the last three years; and what assessment he has made of the time needed to complete the outstanding munitions processing backlog at DM Kineton.

Peter Luff: The processing of unused munitions returned from front line units is a continuous and necessary activity which peaks at defence munitions sites, including Defence Munitions Kineton, when military operations and major training exercises are completed.
	It is forecast that the existing build-up of munitions at DM Kineton will take around 18 months to process. A significant improvement has been made in munitions processing at the site, particularly over the last 12 months where output has increased by 54%.
	This improvement has been achieved as a result of continued improvements to operational planning and the application of lean techniques and, in part, to the refurbishment of six additional ammunition processing buildings over the last three years.

HMS Victory

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2012, Official Report, column 5W, on HMS Victory 1744, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the resources available to the Maritime Heritage Foundation to undertake the conservation and management of the Victory 1744 site.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 9 July 2012
	As a Charitable Trust the Maritime Heritage Foundation (MHF) will be able to access a range of resources to support them in their conservation and management of the HMS Victory 1744 site. MHF have also arranged their own Scientific Advisory Committee to advise them on their proposals. The Ministry of Defence will also oversee, through safeguards within the Deed of Transfer, any proposals made by MHF for works at the site taking advice from an advisory group constituted for that purpose.

Mercian Regiment

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the future of the Third Battalion The Mercian Regiment (The Staffords); and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: In his oral statement to the House on 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1087-88, the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced that the 3rd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment (the Staffords) will be removed from the Army Order of Battle.

Military Aircraft

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the projects for the (a) Chinook fleet, (b) Apache fleet, (c) Apache extension, (d) Puma fleet, (e) Puma upgrade, (f) Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, (g) Wildcat fleet, (h) Merlin fleet, (i) assessment phase for the Merlin marinisation, (j) Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, (k) A400M air transporter, (l) Air Seeker surveillance aircraft, (m) C17 strategic airlifter fleet, (n) Typhoon fleet and (o) joint strike fighter fleet are on time and on budget;
	(2)  what the (a) total cost and (b) length is of programmes for the (i) Chinook fleet, (ii) Apache fleet, (iii) Apache extension, (iv) Puma fleet, (v) Puma upgrade, (vi) Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, (vii) Wildcat fleet, (viii) Merlin fleet, (ix) assessment phase for the Merlin marinisation, (x) Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, (xi) A400M air transporter, (xii) Air Seeker surveillance aircraft, (xiii) C17 strategic airlifter fleet, (xiv) Typhoon fleet and (xv) joint strike fighter fleet.

Peter Luff: holding answer 24 May 2012
	For current performance against time and cost criteria for the Puma upgrade, Chinook fleet, Wildcat fleet, Merlin fleet, Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, A400M air transporter, Airseeker surveillance aircraft, Typhoon fleet and Joint Strike Fighter fleet, I refer the hon. Member to the “Major Projects Report 2011: Ministry of Defence”, published by the National Audit Office on 16 November 2011 (HC 1520-1 and HC 1520-11).
	The Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle (Capability Sustainment programme) project is on time and on budget against its latest approval (as at 31 March 2012).
	The eighth CI7 strategic airlift aircraft has been delivered and is in service.
	The main investment decisions for Apache extension and Merlin Marinisation have not yet been made and until then, timelines and costs will not be confirmed. Apache fleet and Puma fleet are completed projects.

Military Aircraft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of autonomy the UK will have in relation to (a) mission systems and (b) computer systems for the (i) F-35 and (ii) Rivet Joint aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The F35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft has been designed and integrated to meet the requirements of the nine partner nations involved in the programme, including the aircraft mission systems and computer systems. The UK could modify the aircraft and its systems to meet unique needs, on a 'pay to be different' basis, however this would introduce non-standardisation into the JSF aircraft fleet.
	The UK will have the ability to modify the mission systems and computer systems equipment installed on its Air Seeker (Rivet Joint) aircraft and ground systems to meet UK-specific requirements, but this would attract additional support costs. In general the UK will strive to keep the standard of its equipment aligned with the United Stated Air Force as part of the US/UK Cooperative Programme.

Nuclear Submarines

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the reactor for the seventh Astute class submarine can be completed at existing facilities at the Rolls Royce Raynesway plant;
	(2)  whether redevelopment of the Rolls Royce Reynesway plant will take place regardless of the 2016 Main Gate decision on Trident replacement.

Peter Luff: All of the Royal Navy's nuclear reactor cores have been manufactured at the Rolls-Royce Raynesway site. After more than 50 years of service, the existing facilities at Raynesway have come to the end of their economic life and a regeneration of the Raynesway site is required to ensure the facilities continue to meet the safety standards set by the Office of Nuclear Regulation. Regeneration of the site has been planned to ensure the delivery of the full planned Astute submarine fleet in line with current requirements.

Nuclear Weapons

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether a nuclear weapons convention would be a viable option to promote nuclear non-proliferation.

Philip Hammond: The UK Government is committed to the long-term objective of a world without nuclear weapons and has pledged to press for multilateral disarmament. We believe our immediate disarmament priorities must be to reach consensus on the entry into force of the comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty, and the start of negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty in the Conference on Disarmament.
	Until the necessary political and security conditions are in place, attempts to establish a nuclear weapons convention would risk diverting political capital and resources away from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty—which we believe is the best vehicle we have for promoting nuclear non-proliferation and creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons.

World War I: Anniversaries

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  with which countries his Department has had discussions in respect of (a) joint events and (b) a UK presence at overseas events to commemorate the centenary of the First World War; on what dates any such discussions took place; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he last discussed with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport proposals to commemorate the centenary of the First World War; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many officials in his Department are engaged (a) full-time and (b) part-time in preparations to commemorate the centenary of the First World War; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The Prime Minister has asked my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) to act as his Special Representative and Co-ordinator for World War I Commemorations with Secretariat support being provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
	While Defence Ministers have had some limited discussions with their opposite numbers in France and Canada, I understand that Dr Murrison has taken part in a series of meetings with international colleagues, including an all nations meeting in Paris in March 2012. In addition he holds monthly meetings with a core liaison group incorporating a number of Whitehall Departments, the Imperial War Museum, Heritage Lottery Fund, Commonwealth War Graves Commission and others to ensure that the UK plays a full and active role in commemorating the centenary of the first world war.
	Defence Ministers have not been involved in these discussions but my officials are participating as necessary.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the section on universal credit in his Department's 2011 business plan, for what reasons the aim 'Launch pilot pathfinder in advance of national rollout' has been changed to 'launch pathfinder in advance of national rollout', and the completion date changed from March to October 2013; and what the implications are of this change for the pathfinder.

Steve Webb: It is the Department's intention to run a staged pathfinder ahead of the national launch of universal credit. This will trial the process with claimants in a specific location, and then we will move to a gradual national roll-out from October 2013 over a four year period, which is entirely appropriate for such far-reaching changes.
	The pathfinder is not a “pilot” because this is real implementation for a specific group of claimants, and will start to run from April 2013 in the Manchester area. From October 2013 we will begin to take new claims to universal credit from unemployed claimants across every region in Great Britain. This will build up from April 2014 as we phase out new claims to employment and support allowance, income support and housing benefit.

Work Experience

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many graduate internships his Department has provided in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The DWP works in partnership with Cabinet Office to deliver an internship programme for university students in their penultimate or final year of study; this is known as the Summer Diversity Internship Programme. This programme is designed to improve the diversity of the civil service fast stream by giving graduates, from under represented socio economic and diverse backgrounds, a chance to experience the civil service and consider the fast stream as a career path.
	In the 12 months to July 2012 a total of 20 interns took up positions within the Department. The Department has recently offered placements to a further 23 individuals, 18 whom joined from June 2012.